The World Ahead
by DragoonHP
Summary: The war has just ended. Harry is standing in the Headmaster office, thinking about sleeping. He would have thought that his life is going to be smooth now, but he thought wrong. Starts where Jo had left in the Chapter'The Flaw In the Plan.'Details inside
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note****:** Hello, as you know I'm Mr. Nobody. Now, about the story it's a quadrate AU. It follows Book 7, _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows_ to the last niche, but it ignores most of JKR or Jo interviews. So, it can be said that it is Book 7 compatible canon.

It was the first Fan Fiction I wrote. Why? It's explained below. So, at that time my writing skills and vocabulary were not so good, so bear with me for the first two chapters.

**INSPIRATION****:** The inspiration for writing this fan fiction came from the anger I felt toward JKR. Yes, anger. I felt really bad that JKR hadn't wrote even one chapter describing the re-union of Ginny and Harry and describing the conditions of the wizarding world. So, here's the fan fiction.

**DISCLAIMER****:** I don't own Harry Potter or any character or any places or objects made by J.K. Rowling.

**REQUEST****:** I'm trying to keep the story _canon_, according to JKR books, not her interviews. So, if you found something _un-canon_, please tell me.

* * *

**CHAPTER – 1**

**FIRST DAY OF FREEDOM**

Harry thought of Kreacher bringing him a sandwich while he lay on the four-poster in the Gryffindor tower. Suddenly, Kreacher turned in Dobby and he was running towards him, a sandwich in his hand. Then, Dobby was lost in whirl of colors and than he saw Dobby in his arms, motionless. Harry tried to shake away that thought and tried to think about the four-poster, when Fred grinning face came in front of his eyes. He now didn't dare to close his eyes again. All the cheer and festivity were gone for him and his heart now felt like an endless pit of pain, grief, remorse, resentment and remorse. Harry's feet swayed and he sat on the chair, where he usually sat when he came to meet Dumbledore. Silent tears started falling from his eyes. He stared at every corner of the room, from one portrait to another, looking at every single thing of that office trying to mesmerize every single detail, like he would never be able to see it again. Ron and Hermione stared blankly at him and trying to understand what had happened to him. They were not alone who were looking with concern at Harry, every single old Headmaster and Headmistress, including Dumbledore stared from their portraits at him in disbelief. No one tried to break the silence. Suddenly he dropped his elbows on his laps and buried his face in his palms. This sudden reaction of Harry amused every one and Ron said moving towards him, "Are you fine, Harry?"

There was silence for two or three seconds, after which Harry said in a heavy voice, and for every word he spoke, it looked like he was using all his strength, "I… I want to… I will go… and put the wand."

He got up, and moved out of the room. When he reached the spiraling staircase, he looked back from his shoulder, and said to Hermione and Ron, which was more like an order then a statement, "I want to go there alone, if you understand."

Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione kicked him on his knee. He stumbled and before he could say anything, she threw Ron a furious look and said to Harry in a sweet voice, "Oh, yes. You go and put the wand and we will go uh… in the hospital wing. Meet you their, bye."

Even, before she could complete her sentence, Harry walked down the stairs. He was walking like an Inferi, his face dull, quite opposite of what was when he had entered the office. There was no sign on his face, which showed happiness, or even relief. He pulled on his Invisibility Cloak, and headed down the stairs to Great hall. Everyone in the Great hall looked happy, despite the fact that most of them had lost their beloved and friends. He looked at them in disbelief. For the first time in his seven years of Hogwarts, he had seen such bonding. Harry wanted to raise his face and see the celebration, feel it, but he couldn't raise his face, he couldn't even sense the happiness which was following around the Great Hall. It was as if his face was suddenly very heavy for his fragile neck. He wasn't even paying attention where he was going, and three times he just merely stopped himself from bumping into others.

He left all the cheering inside and started walking down the grounds. After some moments of walking, he stood near the lake where Dumbledore tomb resides. The ground around it was nearly empty and he felt safe to take off his Invisibility Cloak. His wet eyes were shining like crystal as he looked at the tomb, trying to look past the stone wall and inside of it. He stared at the tomb for some more moments, than he whipped out his wand and waved it over the tomb. Nothing happened. He tried again and again, but nothing happened. After every try, he felt himself grew weak and weak; as he stumbled more and more. At last, he fell on his knees and they smashed in the ground. He looked at his wand with disgust and threw it at the tomb. It rebounded and fell near his knees. He searched his pocket and took out the elder wand. He stared at the tomb and then he stared at the wand. He stood up again taking the support of the tomb and waved the elder wand over the tomb. To the delight of his eyes, the tomb split open. He thought of putting the wand on the chest of Dumbledore and the wand seemed to understand his thought as it moved itself to Dumbledore body, and rested itself on Dumbledore chest.

Struggling to stand, Harry took his wand and waved it again. This time the tomb merged in one, as it was never broken. Then suddenly he felt his mind go blank, his eyes succumbed in darkness and his legs gave up. The Invisibility cloak whipped in the air and covered his body, only leaving his head uncovered. For a moment or two, he was semi-conscious, but next moment his mind fell into nothingness.

* * *

_Harry was walking in a dark corridor, and he was trying to reach to the end of it, where he saw an opening. He kept running as sounds of cries kept piercing his ears, but he couldn't help them. He wanted to stop, to help them, but his legs were not under his control. Then he heard a very familiar and cold voice, "Run Potter. But, there's no one now who is going to die for you."_

_Harry turned his head to see Voldemort, but behind him he saw more dreadful scenes. Hermione body was being ruthlessly tortured by Bellatrix, Ron being whipped by a whip emblazed with spikes, He couldn't see more; he wanted to close his eyes. He cried for them, shouted at the Death Eaters to leave them. They replied by torturing his friends more. They cried for help. He tried to reply, but his will broke off as he saw corpse of his parents and Sirius burning in fiendfyre._

* * *

Suddenly Harry heard a shriek. He felt hot water dripping down his cheeks. He summoned all of his strength and opened his eyes a little. Everything he saw was blurred. But, he could make out a pair of red rimmed brown eyes, from which tears were falling. He tried to focus on the face, but his mind was once again sucked into nothingness.

* * *

_He woke up in the Hogwarts ground, where he was knocked-out in the afternoon. But now it was a pretty different site. Hogwarts was demolished and the sky was dark black and no stars were twinkling in the sky. All around him laid dead bodies._

_He heard a voice, quite familiar, moaning in pain and said, "You Harry… you failed to protect us."_

_Harry moved to the source of the voice, and saw Professor McGonagall. Her robes were soaked in blood, and blood was seeping out from every part of her body. She was breathing heavily. Harry dropped to his knees and tears started running down his cheeks. Harry summoned all of his strength and said, "Who did this — tell me who did this?"_

_But there was no answer. Her eyes were unfocused and staring in the distant sky. Suddenly Harry sprang to his feet. He didn't know where he was going, but every step he took, increased his strength and determination and decreased his pain and grief. He wiped off his cheeks with the back of his hand. He didn't care for the dead bodies anymore or for the shriek for helps._

"_FACE ME, YOU COWARD." Harry roared, coming to a halt. But reply didn't come. He saw Nearly-Headless Nick floating in the ground, and Harry yelled at him, "Nick, wait." Nick saw him running towards him and gave him a disgusting look. Harry halted and asked him, "Who did this, Nick? Tell me."_

_Nick didn't answer. He stared at him; disgust was all over his pearly white face. Harry felt revolted and just as he was going to ask him again, Nick spoke, "Are you happy know, you dirty stain on the name of Gryffindor. When we needed you, you didn't come to our aid, huh. They took his revenge and killed all of them" — pointing at the dead bodies — "Now, Potter would be happy, seeing a mass of people dying for him. You have become fond of seeing people die for you." After saying this he dissolved in the air._

_Harry stood there, wanting to yell, but no sound came from his mouth. He wanted to cry, to feel remorse but he didn't felt anything. Does it was true that he had become fond of seeing people dying for him that he now does not feel guilt or remorse? After some thinking he understood it was true. He now did not care about anyone or anything._

_Suddenly he felt a pressure building on his body, trying to force him in the ground. He heard again the cold laugh, which he thought he had left behind, "You see Potter, you didn't care for anyone except yourself. You are like me and we both should have joined hands, but you chose the other way and you should pay for your choice."_

"_Where are you?" Harry roared, "I killed you. You can't be alive."_

"_You idiot boy! I was never killed. You thought my own spell could kill me. I will now punish you for your idiocy." Voldemort answered in the same cold and dry voice._

_Harry felt the piercing pain in his scar again. He clamped his hand on his forehead and slumped to his knees. When the pain eased, he couldn't see anything. He felt pressure building in his lungs again, which was suffocating him. Then, there was a jolt of light and he opened his eyes._

_He was again standing in the long corridor he thought he had left before. Here he saw everyone, he cared about being tortured and he ran for their aid. But the near he got the farther they move. He wanted to cry, but tears didn't come. He saw Ginny being tortured by a whip, Ron suspended in mid-air from his neck, Hermione drowning. But as he ran to help them, he felt his legs sank in the dark stoned floor. Someone was laughing behind his back, but he couldn't even move a single finger. As he tried to break himself from these bonds, he saw many more people crying for help. He tried to calm himself and he closed his eyes._

* * *

He felt a warm hand on his forehead, and he opened his eyes. He saw those beautiful brown eyes again, he had seen before he had fallen in the darkness again. But, they were now puffy and red. He was between a dispute in his mind. _Is it a dream he is seeing or was the dark corridor he saw before was dream? _He was praying that this should be the reality or if it was a dream; he should never awake. Partly opening his eyes he tried to sit, but a warm and soft hand resisted him. He tilted his head a little and murmured, "Who's there?"

He heard a very sweet voice, slightly hoarse, "What Harry?"

There was certain happiness in the voice. Harry at once realized that it was the voice of Ginny and a rush of power flowed in his whole body. He sat and stared at her, as she was the most beautiful thing he ever saw. Suddenly he realized that he was not in the ground; but in someone bedroom.

He searched the bed for his spectacles, slapping his surroundings but he didn't found it. Seeing this, Ginny quickly took up his spectacles from the table and gave to him.

"What happened to me?" Harry asked scratching his head.

Still staring at him, Ginny was surprised at the question and said, "Umm… what were you saying… oh yes… I found you — um — unconscious in the ground."

Harry wasn't listening to her; he was staring at her. He just couldn't resist looking at her. The whole room was lost to him. He was looking at her face, taking in every single detail. His eyes drifted from her eyes, to her delicate nose, and at last to her lips. The temptation bubbled and erupted from his chest to his full body. And suddenly, without thinking twice, he kissed her. Holding her from waist, and gently stroking her hair, he continued to kiss her. First, she was surprised, but then she started to kiss him with same enthusiasm. They broke-off the kiss, but as suddenly as they broke-off they kissed again. It was more intense, and they even didn't realize when somebody entered.

"What the ruddy hell are you both doing? Harry, you are supposed to be taking rest, not making out with my sister," Ron blasted on both of them.

This took Harry by surprise. Ginny stumbled and almost fell, but he caught her by wrist and with great difficulty pulled her up on the bed.

"It is not your matter Ron. Get lost," said Ginny, giving Ron a furious look.

This argument drew attention, and Hermione came running into the room. Ron was proceeding towards Ginny, hand in his pocket, to draw his wand at the slightest movement. Hermione saw this and hurried between them. She looked tense and was breathing heavily.

"Get out of the way, Hermione," Ron yelled.

"Ron don't be stupid. Let's go out for a walk." said Hermione in a pleading tone.

"No, Hermione you go. I have to settle this matter once and for all," Ron yelled again.

"What is the matter, Ron?" asked Hermione.

"Don't act like you don't know anything," said Ron. His temper was increasing again and his face was now beet red. He waited for her to say something, but when Hermione didn't said anything, he said trying to keep his voice low and normal, "You didn't remember, he promised me he will stop messing around with Ginny. He ditched her and now" — he lost control and yelled — "he's just bloody using her."

There was a deadly pause for a second. It felt devastating and torturous. Hermione started crying and Harry bellowed standing up from his bed, "You know Ron I love her" — he stumbled and had to take the support of bed to keep standing — "but, I had to broke our relationship…"

Before he could complete, Ron interjected, pushing Hermione sideways, "For you, my family risked everything. Fred lost his life and you are paying us like this."

Harry threw him a look of disgust and said, "Y…"

_SMACK._

Before he could say a word, Ron punched him hard in the face and when Harry fell, he spat on his face. Harry was unable to move. It was like somebody has used Body Binding curse on him. Ron grab hold of Ginny's hand, who had leaned to help Harry.

"Leave my hand, Ron. I pity myself because I am your sister," Ginny yelled at him, yanking her hand out of his hold. Hermione fell to the floor and tears started to roll down her cheeks. Ron gazed at all three of them and then stormed out of the room. Hermione gave a look of apology to Ginny, and stood on her feet, which were trembling and followed Ron.

Ginny held Harry by his shoulder and help him sat on the floor, his back leaned against the bed. Both of them didn't speak for a while. Harry opened his mouth for saying, but words didn't come. He felt hot liquid accommodating in his mouth. He thought it was just his spit. He only realized it was something else when it starting falling on the floor, and Ginny gave a shriek.

"What happened?" Harry asked. He felt a wave of pain running in his jaws. Before he could do anything, Ginny was dabbing his jaw with her handkerchief. Harry felt a piercing pain when she dabbed his broken tooth a little hardly and he let out a moan. Ginny's face blanched. Harry wanted to say consoling words to her, but he couldn't. For the first time since he was awake, he looked outside. It was night, but not a dull night, a bright night. Stars were shining like bulbs and the night sky was decorated with fireworks. He gazed around the room, and found it surprisingly familiar. Everything was bigger than the normal size and then he realized it was Hagrid's cabin.

"I will bring you water and food," said Ginny in an undertone. Harry grab hold of her hand. He shook his head and without saying tried to say her not to leave. Ginny understood and said in a consoling voice, "I'm not going anywhere, the food is just here" — pointing at the big table — "I will just arrange it and bring it here."

Ginny got up and gave him a glass of water to gargle. He got up trembling and moved out of the room. People were celebrating and no one took notice of him. He took a sip, and sloped it out.

Harry was no longer seeing or listening to anyone. He was thinking about his sixth year of Hogwarts, when he found Ginny and Dean snogging and thought of every possible reason, which could happen to him keep away from trying to date Ginny; he was frequently hit by the thought of the ending of Ron and his friendship. But, he ignored it and now he paid the price. This time surely their friendship was off. He couldn't help but blaming himself.

Harry asked himself again and again, why he loved Ginny so much, when he knew that it could be dangerous for their friendship. He could have forgotten Ginny like he forgot Cho, maybe not, but he could have at least tried it. But no, he always liked to get what he wanted, and so he had scrambled his friendship and a relationship of brother and sister. These thoughts rampaged his mind like ghost and the more he thought about it, the more he felt depressed.

He saw Ron and tried to follow him, but he heard a _bang_ and felt pain piercing his body. He opened his eyes and found himself sprawled on the ground, the glass shattered into pieces. Then, he heard footsteps getting closer and closer. He wanted to get-up and disappear but no muscles of his body was under his control. His eyes were loosing focus and he saw silhouette of someone he thought he recognized. He heard muffled sounds and his eyes went dark.

_He got up in a different room. It looked much more comfortable. He saw two people coming towards him. He could not make out their faces, only he could see their silhouette. The taller one came towards him, and Harry realized it was Ron. He looked happy and said calmly, "Ginny now finally understood, that you are a filthy piece of scumbag. You cannot be trusted. You are a liar, a dark spot on the name of friendship."_

"_Yes, brother. Now I finally understood he is just an attention-seeking filthy little brat." said Ginny calmly. Pointing at Harry, she gave him a look of complete disgust and loathing and continued, "You never loved me. You just always took me as a replacement for Cho. I should have understood, you were just using me as you couldn't manage to impress her."_

"_No…" Harry yelled._

"_No…"_

"What happened Harry? Do you need something." asked Ginny/ looking nervous.

"Bad dream." He said half laughing and half nervously.

He realized that he was still in Hagrid hut. He asked Ginny, looking concerned, "I don't want to be rude or something, but what I'm doing in Hagrid hut."

"You don't remember" — wiping her wet cheeks with her sleeve — "you were lying in the ground, this afternoon." She looked happier then before. It seemed, as having a conversation with Harry was the thing she wanted from a long time.

"I found you lying there, and I… " — she turned a deep shade of red and gulped — "I… called everybody. Madam Pomfrey said that you just need a little bit of rest and Hagrid said you could rest in his hut."

There was a short silence, in which both seemed to be waiting for the other to speak, gazing into each other eyes, green in brown. Their eyes were speaking what they weren't able to speak from their mouth. Both of their eyes were glittering, partly with tears and partly with the light of the lamp. They didn't move, just continued to stared at each other in affection, and this was one of the time when he didn't feel his muscles ache.

Their affectionate gaze was broken by a bang, which came from the night sky. It startled both of them, and Ginny flung to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. She quickly tried to untangle herself, but Harry kept her tangled with him. Her face turned a deep red, and she opened her mouth to say something, but Harry put a finger on her lips. They both held each other. Harry could feel her heart beating and was quite sure that she could feel his too. He was embarrassed. Ginny pulled her head a little and now they both were gazing in each other eyes again. Both of them felt embarrassed as both of them turned deep shade of red. Harry wanted to kiss her, but was held aback by a strange force.

And before anyone of them could do something he was trying to prevent, he spoke, in a very sweet, calm and light tone, "Where's everyone?"

"Everyone is celebrating." — She saw the look on Harry face — "It's more like a Party of Honor for the people who have died defeating V… Voldemort." She wanted to say more but thought opposite and kept quite. The thought of celebration made Harry gloomy. He couldn't think of celebrating at this point. Trying to show no trace of gloominess in his voice, he asked her, "Why aren't you out there celebrating, Ginny?"

"Don't you like me here, with you…" she was interjected by Harry, "Don't even think about that. I l…" — There was a spark in her eyes, which lifted his heart, but thought of saying opposite remembering the previous incident happened in the morning — "I… want no one to miss the happiness for me. You go and I will take care of myself."

Hearing this, the spark in her eyes, which came a little while ago, was gone. She looked at the verge of tears, but collected herself and said in a calm voice, "No, I volunteered to look after you and I am not backing."

Harry felt a rush of gratitude inside him for Ginny. He was himself at the verge of tears. Ginny suspected it and changed the topic.

"Let's eat. We had all of your favorite here." said Ginny in a calm voice.

But, Harry was not hearing her. He was flowing in his thoughts. How much Ginny cared for her? Not only Ginny, everyone he knew, gave him importance more than themselves or their families, except somebody, as he remembered about Dursleys. He drifted out of his thought, and saw Ginny coming towards him with the food plate.

"How come they have left you here alone?" demanded Harry. He felt a warm liquid gush in his mouth, and saw Ginny looking at him worriedly. She rushed to him, put the plate on the bed, and took out her bloodstained handkerchief and dabbed his jaw again and said politely, "Don't force yourself while speaking. It's not healed and it's quite deep."

She produced a small transparent bottle from inside her robes, which was filled with dark green colored liquid. She took out the handkerchief from his mouth and poured a little of it on his jaw. The cut started to burn but he controlled his longing to moan thinking that it would just make Ginny worry more. She looked worried and asked him, "Does it hurt?"

Harry shook his head and said, "Don't change the subject." He was starting to loose his temper as he thought that everyone left Ginny here alone. His ears got red with anger.

Ginny looked worried, but she composed herself and said, "Don't get angry. All of them said to wait up to you wake-up, but I send them away." She waited for Harry to speak, but when he kept his silence, she continued, "They even came 15 or 20 min. ago, to change shift, but I like it here, sitting beside you."

"You shouldn't have waited for me. I don't want to be burden on anyone especially on you. You shouldn't sacrifice your happiness for me," said Harry trying to sound casual, but failing miserably at it.

Ginny was stunned by this reply of Harry. The shine of her eyes was now completely gone. She bowed her head down, as tears started welling in her eyes. He felt pathetic and tried to change the subject, "When the party is supposed to start?"

She looked at him, apparently unpleased for changing the subject, but nevertheless answered casually, "I don't know precise time, but hearing the bang's, it's about to start or have started."

There was a deadly pause for some seconds. Both tried to avoid each other eyes, but the more they tried the harder it was for them to avoid. Firecrackers were constantly bursting in the sky. Both of them said nothing, but were startled by a _BANG_. Ginny lost her balance, and stumbled a bit.

She stood and sat beside him. She looked exhausted and said very slowly, with the unmistakable tone of anger and disappointment, "Why are you trying to avoid me, Harry? Tell me" — she tilted his head to face her — "Don't you love me, Harry. If you don't, it's okay with me. But, I can't live with this confusion. So, answer me."

The last of her words were unclear because of her sobbing. He felt series of piercing pain running in his heart. He saw Ginny eyes glittering with tears. He wiped her cheeks with her palm, trying his best not to cry, and said in a consoling and calm voice, "It's not that what you are understanding, Ginny". He paused for Ginny to say something, but when he was not interfered he continued, "I cannot believe you even thought that I don't love you. But, you know…"

"What I know, huh," said Ginny, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve, "Ron interfered in our relationship and now for your friendship, you are ditching me." Her face became beet red with anger as she stood and moved to sat on the chair. Harry tried to follow her, but as soon as he stood and took a step, he stumbled. Ginny caught him, and help him sat on the floor. Her face blanched. Harry asked her, forcing her to sit beside him, "What happened to my leg?"

She looked uninterested in answering his queries and was looking in the other side. He didn't felt angry, he felt like a loser. He had now mostly lost everyone he loved or cared about. Tears sparkled his eyes, as he tried to stop himself from loosing control and said, "Ginny, look at me."

He put a hand on her cheek and tried to move her head to his side, but she resisted.

"'Please Ginny look at me," he sounded at the verge of crying, but he continued, "Don't leave me Ginny. Everyone is leaving me, but please Ginny, don't leave me."

And he started crying madly. He was quivering with the grief that had enveloped his heart. Ginny tilted her head to his side, and forced his head on her shoulder. She stroked his hairs gently and patted his head. He stopped crying, forced his head up from her shoulder, his eyes glittering with tears and said, "Ginny never leave me or ignore me like this again. Otherwise, I won't be able to live because I l…" — He gasped — "I love you, Ginny. I love you very much."

After saying this, he felt like, a great deal of weight had been lifted from his heart. He felt relaxed.

The shine in Ginny eyes was restored and she threw her arms around him. Harry couldn't control the sudden weight and fell on the floor beside him. But now he didn't cared about the pain surging through his body. She was kissing him all over his face and Harry was kissing her back. His mouth trailed to her neck, kissing it with the passion that could burn. They both lay there kissing each other, for a long time, soothing the tension and grief out of the other.

"Let's go to the party." Harry suddenly said giving a pause to the kissing. This question took Ginny by surprise, and after some seconds she answered, "If you are all right, we will go."

Harry nodded and she stood, stretching an arm to Harry. He took it and got up. His leg pained again and he asked, "You haven't told me how I hurt my leg."

Ginny hesitated, but answered in a low voice, "I don't know. I heard a bang and when I got to call you, you were lying outside your hands on your knees. Up to I know, you probably hurt your leg, when you tripped from the stairs. It's nothing serious."

Harry saw that Ginny and his cloth were very dirty and blood stained. He took his wand from the bed and pointed it towards Ginny, who was taken aback by this sudden movement, but she didn't do anything.

"_Scourgify!" _he said. Nothing happened, except some twigs flew from her hairs and some stains from her clothes vanished. Harry scratched his head with his left hand and suddenly a smile came to his face.

"_Tergeo!" _he said. This was more effective than before, as grease, dust and sand started to rise from her dress in the form of fumes. She coughed, but beamed at him when he gave a nervous look. He did it on him too, but was not pleased with the results.

"I am not good in household spells, I suppose," said Harry, smiling a little.

"Would you mind if we use my invisibility cloak to go the party?" said Harry, staring at their robes with disgust.

"No, I don't mind," replied Ginny, with a fond smile.

Harry looked around the room in search of his cloak, but didn't found it. Ginny had moved to a far corner and she came holding the cloak. He took the cloak, pulled it over them and moved out of the room.

The night sky was glittering with stars and firecrackers. They made their move to the castle, slowly, Harry taking the support of Ginny's shoulder to walk. This made him feel miserable and caused his cheeks to turn red with embarrassment. Nobody seemed to notice the voices their walking was causing, as they broke many twigs on their way and not even when they walked straight into two students.

When they came near the castle they heard cheering and heard a woman giving speech. They both recognized the voice of Professor McGonagall. The castle was lit with candles suspended in midair. Everyone was sitting on the four house tables. No one seemed to care about houses; parents, students and Hogsmeade resident sat on the table. Teachers and the members of Order of the Phoenix were sitting on a table on the raised platform. Professor McGonagall was giving speech. Nobody noticed a moan, which Harry gave when Ginny accidentally hit his injured leg. There was no sign of Ron and Hermione. The dead bodies were laying on fluffy quilts on the floor. Harry moved closer to the bodies. Ginny was not looking at Harry, her attention was focused on the table on which her family was sitting.

Ginny didn't notice Harry slipping out of the cloak and moving to the quilts where the bodies were kept. Harry himself didn't notice that he had slipped out of his Invisibility Cloak. He walked stumblingly and stopped dead when he saw the body of Lupin and Tonks. All the time spent he had with them came in front of his eyes. He stood there like a statue, his eyes fixed on them, as tears rolled down his cheek. He jerked his head a little and saw Fred body. His last smile was still etched on his face.

Harry completely broke on this sight and fell on his knees; a jet of blinding blue light just missed him by matter of millimeters. Everyone seemed to notice the blinding jagged light and the sound made by it. There was a rumbling sound and hundreds of wands were pointing at the source of the spell. Everyone froze at the sight. Ron wand was pointed at Harry, and Hermione stood beside him. There was a roar of anger. Everyone was gazing at Ron with disgust and anger. They all noticed Harry, but none of them looked at him. Ginny came running to Harry.

"I can't believe you, Ron." George roared from the Gryffindor table, "You are a big stain on the family. _Impedimenta! _" A jet of yellow light emerged from his wand, which was tackled by another jet of red light and it was followed by a blast in mid air.

Everyone looked astonished on this incident. They all looked amazed and looked around to see who had tackled George spell. All eyes were fixed on Harry, whose wand was raised in mid air, facing the point where few seconds before the two spells had collided.

"Are you mad? Why did you protect him?" yelled George at Harry. His face was red with anger; his wand still raised in air, pointing at Ron. Every pair of eyes was darting between George and Harry. But, Harry didn't answer George. George hastily trotted towards Ron, his hand clenched into fists. George raised his fist to hit him, but Hermione came between them. She was crying, her arms outstretched to protect Ron from George destructive anger. She shook his head vigorously and said, "Listen to me George."

George pushed her aside and was going to hit him when someone roared, "_STOP_."

George hand froze in mid-air, his fist merely inch away from Ron nose. He looked around and saw Professor McGonagall, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. All the order members and some of D.A. members followed them. Others were glued to their seats in horror. Seeing the matter slipping out of her hands, Hermione yelled in desperation, "Listen to me please."

"Now, what do you want to say," said Mrs. Weasley furiously, her face red with anger. She gave Ron an imitating and sharp sideways glance and continued, "After what he did, I…"

Hermione interjected with a pleading tone in her voice, "First listen to me and then come to a conclusion."

When no one said anything, she continued, "He wasn't aiming at Harry, he was aiming at Rita Skeeter."

There was a joint gasp by everyone. Professor McGonagall took the lead and said in a stern voice, "You know very well Miss Granger that all the reporters are stopped at the boundary. And still you are trying to save Mr. Weasley by using such lame excuses."

Professor McGonagall eyes were ablaze, her lips invisible as her mouth turned in a thin line. It was enough to bury anyone alive in the floor. Hermione understood the graveness of the situation and said in single breath, "Harry also know it."

Everyone gaze was shifted to Harry. Harry nodded. Now, Mrs. Weasley proceeded on Hermione and said furiously, her kind face contorted with rage, "So, where is she, huh. Maybe she Disapparated or maybe she DISAPPEARED." Her last words were so loud and cold that many people in the Great hall thought Voldemort had came back, and grabbed each other tightly.

Hermione look aghast. She had never seen Mrs. Weasley so angry. Her wand was at the ready, her face pale, it gave her the air of evil and yearning to cause pain like Bellatrix.

"I think I understand what she meant to say," said Harry addressing Mrs. Weasley.

All eyes were now on Harry. He sighed and continued, "Look there, Neville" — pointing at the gate where the spell hit — "is there a beetle."

Neville ran and started to find a beetle. Everyone looked confused, except Hermione who now looked relieved. Ron didn't show any emotion. His face was blank as he looked at Harry. Neville came to Harry, his hand clenched in a loose fist. He opened his hand, and there was a stunned beetle on his palm. Hermione ran to him and said to Neville, "Please put the beetle down."

She pointed her wand at the beetle and murmured something. A jet of violet-red light hit the beetle and it transformed itself in Rita Skeeter. All were amazed at this sight. Mrs. Weasley whose anger had crossed the limit of control, pointed at Rita and shouted, "_Crucio!"_ The spell hit Rita squarely in the chest and she immediately got out of the stunned state and started wriggling in agony and shrieking in pain.

"Stop it at once, Molly," bellowed Mr. Weasley. He ran to Mrs. Weasley and snatched her wand and said, "Are you out of your mind."

"_Petrificus Totalus!"_ Someone shouted. They saw Neville with his wand raised. Many eyebrows raised on his unexpected behavior.

"I didn't do it on purpose. She was running out of the room," said Neville, trying to avoid everyone's gaze.

"I think this should be more of a private matter," Kingsley said.

"Then let it be like that, Kingsley" Professor McGonagall said, pointing her wand at the door, "_Colloportus!_"

There were many clicks and the door sealed itself. Deadly silence flowed around the room. George looked guilty and said to Ron, ruffling his hairs, "Sorry. I shouldn't have behaved exaggeratedly."

Mrs. Weasley also looked guiltily, said to Ron, "But, how do you know it was Rita Skeeter?"

Ron didn't answer. Seeing the complexity of matter Hermione opened her mouth but was interjected by Ron, "Shut up."

His ear came out from his hair, and was scarlet colored due to embarrassment and guilt. Hermione open her mouth again, but Ron this time raised his wand, but Hermione was too quick for him and shouted, "_Silencio!_" Ron voice lost in his throat, as he opened and closed his mouth frantically like a fish. But, his wand was still pointed at Hermione and she shouted again, "_Expelliarmus!_"

Ron wand flew in the air and fell at Hermione feet. Everyone was amazed at this unexpected duel. Everybody seemed to be dumbstruck.

"What is happening here? Can anyone explain to me?" Professor McGonagall demanded.

Hermione answered as nothing had been happened, "Me and Ron were coming to the hall for the party, when he noticed the beetle hovering around the hall. We knew that Rita is an unregistered Animagus. So, Ron aimed the spell at her, and then Harry came out of nowhere."

Harry had moved himself to sit in between Lupin and Fred bodies. He behaved as nothing had happened; gazing at both of them, murmuring something and stroking their hair. Ginny sat beside him, holding him by his shoulders. But, none seem to give them any importance.

Mrs. Weasley took Ron in a rib-breaking hug. But still Ron showed a blank face.

George gave an astonished look to Ron and said, "You had been quite, lit…"

He was interjected by a loud thump on the oak gate. Everyone gasped and a silence surrounded the Great hall as everyone strained their ears to hear the person on the oak gates.

"Open up. What 'appened?" A loud roar was heard from outside.

"Hagrid," said Professor McGonagall, "_Alohomora!_" The gate opened up after many clicks and Hagrid emerged. He looked bewildered and angry. He had a large parcel in his hand and a baby unicorn beside him. Girls gave a pleasant sigh seeing the baby unicorn.

"What's 'appening 'ere? Tell me. Shouting was 'eard outside." Hagrid said releasing his parcel and waving his dustbin lid sized fist. The unicorn was still at his side, but little afraid because of the shouting.

"Are the reporters still here, Hagrid?" asked Kingsley.

"Yeah, but don't worry t'ey can't come in. Made sure of that," said Hagrid.

"An' Harry not in the hut," — pointing at Harry he said--"what the ruddy hell… what are yeh doin' here. I thought yeh needed rest." Hagrid anger was touching his limit. Suspecting what's going to come, Slughorn came running to him, conjured a big chair out of air and forced him on it.

"Keep yourself cool, Hagrid." Slughorn said offering him a drink. Hagrid drink it all in a big gulp. The unicorn curled at his feet and her golden hair illuminated Hagrid massive legs.

"Let's eat." Slughorn said trying to break the deadly silence. But no one seemed to pay any attention to him. Ginny and Harry were no where to be seen.

"Where are they? We need to talk," — pointing at the gate with his wand Hermione said, "_Colloportus._" The gate sealed itself.

"Why did you that, Ms. Granger?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"We need to clear some points" — pointing at Ron — "so, I don't want them running again." Everyone started to wave their hand randomly to catch Harry. But, no one succeeded.

Suddenly, Luna was pushed aside by someone. Dean who was sitting just beside Luna jumped in the air and fell with a thump. But, amazingly he was suspended in mid-air and with a _swish_ Seamus snatched the cloak. Harry and Ginny laid there, the former clutching his knees.

"Are you mad?" Ginny yelled at Dean. Everyone was push aside by George, who lifted Harry in his arms and laid him on the table and yelled, "Madam Pomfrey, a little help."

Madam Pomfrey came running and started examining Harry. For the first time, Ron face showed expressions. His face was full of guilt and concern and his eyes were staring down on the floor. He opened his mouth to say something but no sound came from his mouth.

"Take this," said Neville, offering him his wand. He murmured a spell and suddenly Ron voice was back. But, now he was not interested in saying anything.

Madam Pomfrey was bandaging Harry's leg and said, "Nothing to worry. He is perfectly fine. Just tore a ligament. He will be fine by the morning." Everyone looked at her amazingly. Madam Pomfrey noticed it too and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing", said George sarcastically, "It's no big deal. He had just torn his ligament. It's very common and he is just exaggerating the pain."

Madam Pomfrey turned red and Mrs. Weasley gave George a sharp sideways glance and said, "She knew what she said. If you knew better than her than show it, otherwise keep quite or I will just jinx your tongue."

Hagrid came running to Harry and said dozing, "Are… yeh… um… fine" — Hagrid sighed — "Harry?"

"You came very early, Hagrid," said George sarcastically, releasing his contained anger on Hagrid.

"I … not my mistake…. I'm feeling…. Um… a bit dizzy." Hagrid said. Everyone gave a questioning look to Slughorn, who in turn hurried and gave another drink to Hagrid and added in a whisper, "I was just trying to help."

Hagrid gave a yawn and all standing near him clenched their noses with their hands. Even Harry who was half-conscious yelled, "What's that foul smell?"

"Oops…" said Hagrid, clapping his hand on his mouth. He smashed his hand into the table and Harry gave a slop of blood and spit. Madam Pomfrey hurried, took his wand out and said, "_Lumos._" She opened Harry mouth carefully and looked at his wounded jaw.

She raised his wand and said, "_Accio Comtrey._" A medium-sized transparent bottle came flying to her hand. It was full with shining black liquid. She poured all of it in his mouth and then murmured some incantations. Harry wiggled and gave a moan.

"He's fine," said Madam Pomfrey looking at the concerned faces, "It's just he probably had been hit hard by a stone or something just as hard. He has a deep cut on his jaws and two teeth's had gone loose."

Ginny for the first time in the evening left Harry and moved to Ron. Throwing him a look of complete disgust, which clearly meant; _you would be happy now._ She said in a whisper, "You cannot take his happiness. You are always jealous of him and his achievement. You are nothing but a big stain on friendship." Ginny didn't sound angry; but there was a certain degree of coldness in her voice, which was enough to make hairs on the back stand. She moved again to Harry side and started stroking his hair gently.

"Everyone move and give Harry breathing space." Mrs. Weasley commanded.

"It's safe to let him eat, Pomfrey?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Yes, I suppose so."

Everybody moved to the chairs. Ginny and Hermione help Harry up and escorted him to the near-by seat.

"Shhh…. Harry. Come and sit here," said Professor Slughorn, waving his hand at him. When he shook his head in disapproval, Kingsley and Doge also called him up. He told Ginny and Hermione to escort him there, as his legs were too fragile to support his weight. When they helped him sit and started moving, Harry caught their hands and said pointing at the chairs beside him, "Sit down."

Harry eyes wandered around the hall to find someone. When he was unable to find, who he was looking, he shouted, "Ron, come up." Every head waved to find Ron. Ginny and Hermione looked at him surprisingly. Michael suddenly broke into a run and caught Ron by his waist, who was sneaking out of the hall on all fours.

"What's happening today?" asked Professor McGonagall looking confused.

Mrs. Weasley added, "They are running away from each other."

Michael and Dean escorted him to the platform and forced to sit him on the chair beside Ginny. Ron threw a look of loathing and contempt at Michael and Dean. Ginny was suddenly very interested in talking with Hermione. The atmosphere on the platform was quite tense.

Kingsley got up moved to Harry and said, "Good evening my friends. Today is the day for which we all had waited and some of us had fought and lost their loved ones. So, now let's hear from Harry how did he managed to do such a task, which many wizard couldn't do."

"You sound like a reporter than a minister." chuckled Doge.

Harry ignored him, took the support of the chair and said, "Um… It is very flattering to hear this, but the members of D.A. deserve this prestige too. And I would be a filthy human and more a filthy friend, if I don't mention Neville, Luna and Ginny, who helped me throughout this journey."

All three of them stood and were given many round of applause.

"There's someone special too. I can give my life if I can have him back. He was a true friend, who helped me throughout, from my second year at Hogwarts." Harry continued in a thick and hoarse voice, "If it was not for him," — pointing at Ron, Hermione, Luna and Dean — "all five of us would have been in our deathbed. So, if you all can, let's have a one minute silence for Dobby, the free elf."

Everyone and everything fell into silence. No one dared to speak a word. After one minute, Harry requested again, "Let's have a two minute silence for all those who have died trying to protect us from Voldemort."

There was the silence again. No one spoke or moved. Everyone was gazing at the floor. Some people started sobbing.

"Now, I don't want to indulge anyone of you into my stupid talks and as Dumbledore liked to say, '_Tuck in_'. And more talks or speeches could be listened and said afterwards." said Harry, trying to lift the mood.

For the first time, he looked at everyone. All eyes were puffy, but everyone looked happy. He couldn't understand it.

Everyone ate quietly. Ron seemed not much hungry as he ate very less compared to his daily feeds. After the feast, everyone looked at the raised platform again.

"May I get your attention?" said Kingsley.

"I know Harry, it has been a very hard time for you but I ask just a little more piece of advice." He added while walking towards to Harry.

Harry was taken by surprise as he didn't thought that Kingsley would ask for his advice and said, "My advice… Why?"

"Yes Harry, your advice. It's not hidden from anyone in this hall, that your instincts are mostly right and even Dumbledore gave your judgment importance."

Harry felt hot in his face and was sure that his cheeks had gone red with embarrassment. Kingsley continued, beaming at Harry, "I want you to decide the future of all the death eaters, we have caught." He waved his wand and out of thin air, a cage appeared, suspended in mid-air by the support of the enchanted ceiling. All the death eaters looked stunned. He waved his wand again and it came downward.

There was a sudden outbreak. Everyone present in the Great hall, greeted the Death Eaters with abuses and throwing anything they laid hands on.

"STOP," yelled Harry and every single one of them stopped. George, who had burned a firecracker to shoot at the death eaters, fumbled and fused the cracker hastily. Every eye was now on Harry. Harry was drawing long breaths and was looking at them. His eyes were fixed on one young looking teenager. He ordered Kingsley, "I want the Malfoy's down of that cage now."

"Huh…" Kingsley looked surprised.

He was not the only one who was surprised by this sudden turnout. Everyone was showing their displeasure on Harry's decision. Every pair of eyes was looking at him continuously and accusingly. Harry felt uncomfortable and shouted, "Get them down, NOW."

"Are you sure, Harry?" asked Kingsley, looking confused.

"If you didn't wanted to use my advice, then why did you ask me," shouted Harry at Kingsley.

"No, no… Ok, as you wish." Kingsley waved his wand and the Malfoy family was slammed to the floor. They were still stunned. Harry said, "Anyone can revert this spell."

No one volunteered. Harry gazed in the horde of heads, but he found no hand raised. He searched the tables again and again, but there was not even a single hand up. Rather all were looking very revolted. Harry looked at Hermione and she understood what to do. She got up from her seat and moved to the Malfoy's. She did a spell and they started showing some movements. Everyone around them looked at them as they were carrying contagious disease. Hermione also was no exception. She moved from their side as soon as she did the spell and walked to her seat.

"If you can, please give them seats," said Harry.

Malfoy family looked amused, as everyone else. They hadn't expected to be released. Everyone gazed at them and then Harry. All three of them clutched each other tightly in a huddle. When no one moved to give them seat, Harry moved and said pointing at his seat, "Sit here."

All looked at Harry in surprise, but no one dared to speak on the matter. He moved closer to the Malfoy, when someone said, "They can sit here, Harry." Neville had made space for them beside him. He didn't look pleased. But, Harry on the other hand, looked happy. Malfoy's didn't moved from where they were sitting. Harry moved to them and said giving them, what he supposed was a fatherly expression, "You didn't need to be scared. Go and sit with Neville."

They had barely moved a few feet, when George yelled pacing towards Harry, "Why the hell you are doing this Harry?"

Malfoy's halted at their position and looked at George and Harry with aghast. Harry injured leg, which do not seem to take his weight for longer, trembled and his fellow students caught him, who sat just behind him. He was escorted to a vacant seat.

"You want to know why?" Harry calmly said. George and the others nodded.

"So, I will keep it straight and simple. I would have been dead if it was not for her." He pointed at Narcissa. Everyone gasped at this strange admittance. Narcissa who had heard her name looked amused.

"Explain to us, Harry." George demanded.

"I will, but first, can someone go and fetch some food for Malfoy's." Harry said.

No one volunteered again. So, he again gazed at Hermione who was busy in describing something to Ginny.

"Hermione," said Harry.

Hermione who looked surprised, got up from her seat and moved closer to Harry and asked, "What do you want Harry?"

"Please, go and fetch some food from the kitchen, please," said Harry. She didn't look pleased and opened her mouth for argument, but closed it again and moved out of the hall.

Harry described them the part of how Narcissa had lied to Voldemort (he didn't tell the meeting with Dumbledore part) and saved his life. Lucius looked at Narcissa with an amazed expression. Harry had just finished describing the events when Hermione came in the hall.

"Where's the food, Hermione?" asked Harry, his eyes wandering around her.

"Kreacher and the other elves are bringing the food." Hermione said, "I said I will take it, but they uh… volunteered"

Kreacher came in the hall, accompanied by four elves. Harry recognized an elf as Winky. She had brown orb like eyes and was wearing the same clothes as she had worn the last time he saw him. But, this time her clothes were clean and she didn't look sad.

"Master Harry, you asked for food." He signaled at the three elves. They moved forward and presented Harry the food.

"No, not me Kreacher, them." — Harry said beaming and pointed at the three Malfoys. Kreacher made a face and said, "Why is Miss Cissy here? Miss Cissy bad. Where's Dobby?" He added, the disgust in his voice clear.

Hearing the name of Dobby, Winky started sobbing, beating her small fist on the floor. Hermione ran and caught her. Winky resisted her hold but Hermione didn't loosen her grip.

"What's the matter, Winky?" Hermione asked kindly.

Winky didn't answer. She continued to sob. A blue eyed elf came and said to her, "She is missing Dobby."

He added grimly, "Where that disgusting elf is, anyway?"

Harry happy mood sank in one big gulp. His face went red in one swift motion and he stared at that elf as he was going to eat him alive. The elf too noticed his gaze and he sank to the ground. Hermione said trying to maintain the peace, "He was a great e…"

"No, he was just a disgrace on house-elves." The blue-eye elf said.

"He was much better than you." Harry shouted.

The elf opened his mouth for argument, but Kreacher was fast and said, "If master says, Donny was a great elf than Dobby is. And master don't mind Rad, he just hates free elves."

"What is you mean by 'was'?" asked Winky in a squeaky voice.

"He is dead, Winky," said Hermione with a soar throat.

Winky forced herself out of her grip and ran towards the kitchen. Every elf looked a little disappointed except Rad. He was beaming. Harry got furious at this sight and stated searching his pocket. He founded a handkerchief and said threateningly, "Take this cloth and get out of here now."

Rad for once was shocked, but he got out of it pretty fast and then said, "You can't give, Rad the cloth. Rad master is not you."

Harry anger was at his peak. His cheeks turned a light shade of violet. Hermione tried to interfere but stopped as Harry waved a hand. Professor McGonagall came running and said to Kreacher, "Take him inside."

Kreacher followed order and forced Rad out of the hall.

The Malfoy's were eating quietly. It looked as they had not tasted food for much time. Harry was trembling and tried to walk out of the room, but was caught by Kingsley. He looked a little frightened, but said, "We have to discuss some other matters, Harry."

Harry first wanted to shout at him but thought opposite and walked with Kingsley to the platform. Ron gaze met Harry gaze at once but he quickly turned his eyes down. Harry didn't look at him once when he passed him, as he didn't exist.

"Harry, what about these remaining Death Eaters? What do you wish that should happen with them?" Kingsley asked.

Harry thought for a while but he didn't seem to come to any decision. He occasionally looked at the cage and then the crowd. He finally spoke, "Send them to Azkaban."

There was a roar of disapproval. Ginny and Hermione were now sitting on the house tables.

"Dumbledore believed in second chances, so I will too." Harry shouted to make his voice heard. Someone said from the tables, "Most of them got their second chances."

Another one said, "I did not believe in Dementors. They were faithful to Voldemort and it's no sure that they won't help them."

There was a roar of approval. Everyone was saying something like this.

"So, what do you want to do with them, huh, tell us?" Harry asked the over enthusiastic crowd.

"Kill them." One said.

"Use _Avada Kedavra _on them." Another one shouted. It was supported by many on them. Then someone yelled from the crowd, in a high-pitched voice, "Let's leave them in Fiendfyre." All heads turned in the direction from where the voice came. Hermione looked embarrassed and her head was buried in her hands.

Harry looked at her amazed and asked, "Hermione… you… said that."

Hermione nodded. Harry stared at her, his mouth agape. Still gathering himself, he said looking at Kingsley, "These spells are ill-legal and forbidden by the Ministry. Am, I right minister?"

"Yes, you are…" Harry interjected him and said with a triumph face expression, "So, I have to heavy-heartedly say that"

"You are allowed to use them." Kingsley chuckled and completed his sentence. There was a roar of laughter and Harry winced and looked at him in an unbelievable sort of expression and said, "But, you said that they were forbidden."

"But, it's the specialty of the ministry to go blind for some time." Kingsley said looking very happy with himself.

Harry looked at the other teachers and members of order for support but somehow missed Ron.

"OK, do what you want. But, I am sure Dumbledore wouldn't be happy with it" Harry complained. But, in true, his insides were jolting with pleasure. He was happy that they would also suffer looses which he had suffer. But, trying his best not to show that pleasure in his voice, he said, "Is this all? Now, can I go. I am feeling a bit dizzy."

"We had something more to say to you." This time Professor McGonagall spoke. Harry looked at her with an amazed expression. He was wondering what would come next. She was looking very different. Her usual stern expressions were now replaced by soft expressions. She stood and moved to the podium and said, "This is about the Head Boy and Head Girl" Everyone gasped.

"This envelope was found in Dumbledore's study. It is addressed to the headmaster, in my case, headmistress, and it states the potential candidate for Head Boy and Head Girl. And I am likely to follow it."

There was a couple of second's pause. Harry was getting nervous and worried. _Was it what he dreaded?_ He had no choice except waiting. Then, Professor McGonagall finally spoke beaming at Harry, "And the name given by Dumbledore are Harry potter and Hermione Granger."

Harry and Hermione stared at Professor McGonagall in disbelief. Professor McGonagall on the other hand was beaming at them. Seeing their faces, she said to Harry, "If you don't believe me read it for yourself." And she thrust the envelope in his hand. Before Harry could read it, Hermione snatched the envelope from him.

"This cannot be possible." Hermione said.

She gave the envelope to Harry and said, "Read it."

_Dear Headmaster/Headmistress,_

_I want to make a request, as up to the time it had come to process it, I may not be alive. I want Mr. Harry Potter to become the Head Boy and Ms. Hermione Granger to become the Head Girl because of their commitment showed toward Hogwarts and their over-all performance in the academics and extra curricular activities. _

_And I wish you will take my thoughts in account, when deciding about the Head Boy and Head Girl._

_Yours sincerely,  
__**Albus Dumbledore**__  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards )_

Harry was dumbstruck after reading this. He opened his mouth thrice for saying something but closed it every time. The same was with Hermione. She pinched Harry to test that it wasn't a dream. Hermione spoke shuddering, "We can't… it's not that we don't… it can't be possible… we are not… in Hogwarts anymore. We didn't attend Hogwarts this year."

Harry nodded with agreement and said, "If you didn't respond to your admittance letter by July 31, you are expelled. Isn't Hermione?"

Hermione nodded in agreement. There was a smile on Professor McGonagall and other teacher faces. Slughorn taking the lead said, "We have discussed it over and over again and we have came to a point that you three were doing much important work and we would be happy to give you admittance again. (Harry looked at Kingsley and Slughorn noticed it.) And don't worry, we had even taken permission from the Ministry and the Governors of Hogwarts," — he threw a sealed envelope to Harry — "So, I dare to say your term will start on 1 September."

Harry read the parchment in the envelope, which gave permission for admittance to him, Ron and Hermione. He gave it to Hermione, who after reading it sank into her chair.

"Aren't you pleased with having your studies continue, Ms. Granger?" Professor McGonagall asked Hermione with a stern expression.

"No, it's just that what about Neville, Luna, Ginny and the others." Hermione asked defiantly.

"Oh so nice, worrying about your fellow mates," said Professor Sprout.

"We have settled all of that. We are disposing this year of Hogwarts studies, which means, all the students will repeat there classes of this year," Kingsley said calmly.

Kingsley continued "And yes, there is one more service I ask from you Harry. Would you address the reporters in the morning? They had barricaded the gates, and will only leave up to you have given them a nice um… speech. Because we need to move these bodies…"

"What?" Harry asked.

"What happened, Harry."

"What do you mean by moving these bodies?"

"For their funeral." Kingsley answered in a matter-of-factly voice.

"I thought", Harry said looking weary, "they would be buried in the school grounds, as a tribute for their services to the school and the wizard community."

"But, there is a problem, Harry," Professor McGonagall said, "the ground is not big enough for all the graves and secondly, if we even somehow manage to bury them all, we would not have enough room for other school activities."

"But… I… can't they be buried um… near the school." Harry said.

There was a short pause. Everybody looked as they were in deep thinking. Then, Aberforth said, "There's an open patch of land near Hogsmeade. And I suppose it's big enough for about 25 graves or maybe a little more or less."

The shine in the eyes of Harry came back. He gazed at Aberforth with a look of admiration. This sudden look of admiration made Aberforth surprised, as he was not used to be admired like his big brother. He felt color rising in his face and quickly turned his face away from Harry. Harry understood Aberforth reaction and also averted his gaze from him.

Professor McGonagall said, "Then that's set. We will have a combined funeral of the bodies…"

She was interjected by someone who said, "What if we want to take the bodies and have a funeral our way."

There was a murmur of agreement on this question. Professor McGonagall said, "We are not forcing you to have a funeral here. Moreover, we only had space for 25 bodies as previously stated by Aberforth. So, you are welcome to take the bodies with you, if you are a family member or a close friend of the dead warrior."

Without saying anything, Harry started moving down the raised platform. His leg was much better than before though the pain was still there. He had barely moved a meter, when he heard his name called by someone. He turned and saw Hermione and Professor McGonagall running towards him. Harry looked worried all of a sudden and thought, _what now?_

"There's something more for you, Potter." Professor McGonagall said, plunging his hand in her robes. He pulled an envelope out of it and handed it to Harry and said, "Dumbledore wanted you to have it." And she backtracked her steps. Hermione was still standing there looking down at the floor.

"What do you want, Hermione?" Harry asked.

Hermione leveled her head slowly to his and suddenly felt hot in her cheeks and ears. She felt stupid on her condition and said, "N… nothing, Harry. What's in the envelope?" She added hastily.

"I don't know and I am not in the mood of opening it," Harry said. But, the truth was that he desperately wanted to open that envelope and read what more Dumbledore has concealed from him. But, thinking that Professor McGonagall didn't gave him the envelope on the platform, only meant that he should read it alone and he could tell her afterwards. He thrust the envelope in his pocket and said, "If you don't want anything I am going."

"No, wait Harry." Hermione said as Harry turned. Harry felt angry because of the fact that Hermione was wasting his time, which he could spend satisfying his curiosity and exhaustion. Hermione backtracked a little, her face got drained of color, seeing the furious look of Harry and said in a low voice, which sounded like a request, "I want to talk about something, if you don't mind."

Harry wanted to shout at her and wanted to deny her request, but thought opposite and said, "Okay."

Hermione looked happy and color came back to her face and she said cheerfully, "Wait for me, a second." And she hurried to the raised platform. Harry didn't like what he saw. She was arguing with Ron, and he knew for sure, what this argument was, despite the fact that he couldn't hear them. He wanted to run away from her reach but somehow his legs didn't move.

After a minute, it looked as Hermione had won the agreement. Ron followed her and they moved to the spot where Ginny was sitting. Hermione motioned Harry to follow him, which he did without any second thought. Hermione moved to where Ginny was sitting. Harry stopped a meter before. He saw the look of disgust on Ginny face when she saw Ron. She averted her face away from him. Hermione said something to Ginny in her ear and she also started following her. Harry also followed them and felt every single pair of eyes following their movement. He wanted to hide himself in his Invisibility Cloak. He hurried out of the room and he followed her into an empty classroom. When Harry also came in, Hermione sealed the door. The room grew dark. Hermione flicked his wand and the lamps started burning. The room was filled with dim light. Harry was in a position, which he was trying to avoid the whole night. The room temperature might have increased 10 degree as all of them started sweating. Hermione foreseeing the upcoming tide of anger, took the stride and said, "Ron, want to say something to you too."

Ron looked horror struck, whereas Harry and Ginny showed a blank face. When Ron didn't said anything for some moments, Ginny said, her red cheeks visible, even in the dimly lit room, "What is this, HERMIONE? You said you wanted to show me something important," she drew heavy breath and continued her voice full of anger, "BUT IF YOU THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT I AM LEAVING, NOW"

Ginny turned to move. There was a streak of light, which none of them noticed. Ginny felt every part of her body gone rigid. She tried to shout on Hermione on what she had done to her, but her lips were glued together. She looked at Hermione, who in return said, "Sorry, but we need to make some points clear."

She turned to Ron and shouted, "Say it now or I will force it out of you." All of them looked aghast as none of them had seen Hermione look this furious. Ron quickly backtracked a little and tripped over something and fell on the floor with a _thump_. Hermione eyes were now boring into him and she said, looking murderous, "Fine, you want to do it the hard way, you will get the hard way."

She pointed her wand at a piece of wood and said, "_Waddiwasi! _" and then quickly pointed her wand at Ron. The piece of wood flew with a speed of bullet and hit Ron squarely in his stomach. He gave a shriek of pain and Harry shouted, "Are you mad, Hermione?"

She turned to face Harry. She looked directly into his eyes, and Harry shrunk to the ground, seeing her furious looks. She faced Ron again and said, "Changed your mind."

He shook his head. Hermione whose anger was at top of the peak, seeing this disapproval, crossed every limit. She pointed her wood at the piece of wood again and said, "_Engorgio! _" The size of piece of wood got doubled. It was now size of a book. She pointed her wand at the wood and said, "_Waddiwasi!_" but, this time it didn't hit Ron, but was deflected. Hermione looked around and saw Harry with his wand pointed between Ron and Hermione.

"What the hell are you doing? Do you want to kill him?" Harry shouted before Hermione opened her mouth. Ron was paralyzed with horror. Ginny eyes were describing her horror. Hermione stared at Harry and shouted, "Don't you remember what this fool…" And she stopped. Her eyes were full of tears. Harry stretched a hand to her and patted her on her shoulder.

"_Finite! _" Harry said pointing her wand at Ginny. Ginny stretched her arms to conform that she was free of the curse and then sat beside Hermione. Hermione was crying. Ron sat there like a limp of broken statue.

"What do you wanted to have Ron to say to us?" Ginny asked Hermione thinking that it will be comforting for her.

"I want him to tell you that." Hermione said still sobbing.

"He is an arrogant, filthy piece of scum. I won't expect him to say a word," said Ginny, throwing a dirty look at Ron.

"You can tell us and we would think that he had told us," said Harry, not even giving a single glance to Ron.

There was a pause in which only Hermione sobbing could be heard. Then, she composed herself and said, "Do you remember the evening fight?" asked Hermione.

"I am not going to forget it until my death." Ginny said; her voice was clearly showing contempt.

Hermione looked at Harry, supposing he would say anything, but when he didn't say anything she said in a gloomy voice, "Don't you want to know why all of that happened?"

"I know," Ginny said looking furious, "He has always been jealous of Harry and he couldn't see Harry getting every single thing, he want."

"That's not the reason, Ginny," Hermione said in an undertone.

Ron got up and as he took a step forward, but he was thrown in the back of the class, his wand slipped out of his hand. This time the caster was Ginny, whose brown eyes were now slit and she snorted, "Don't you dare to move." — And she turned to Hermione — "Let's hear what you want to say in his defense." She said in the deadly calmness.

"Before we met you in Hagrid hut, Ron had a fight with some of Slytherin boys..."

"Good excuse, Hermione." Ginny snarled and continued, "But we all know every Slytherin got out of the school and even let's say, they were inside, what did they say that made Ron get out of his wits and showed that inhumanly behavior towards Harry."

"Listen to me and don't interrupt. If you have any questions you can ask at last." Hermione said. She paused for a bit and then she continued, "They were… um… how should I say…"

"From your mouth." Ginny said looking impatient. Harry kept silent. He didn't wanted to interrupt any of them because he knew and had experienced both of their anger.

"I know, but… I can't find words to say…"

"Say exactly how they said."

"You won't like it."

"It's not matter of liking, you know that."

"Fine," Hermione snarled, "They said you were a bitch, who keeps lurking around Harry, a disgusting whore, who wants to be famous and can go to any extent for it."

Hermione had spoken without thinking and after she had said that she realized what she had said. Harry had exactly the same fierce look which Hermione had some moments before, his hand shaking with anger and his lips quivered. Ginny, on the other hand, was horror struck, her eyes stretched wide and it looked as she was staring in the night sky. Ron was no less amazed. He hadn't expected Hermione to blurt all of that out in once

Hermione who had realized her mistake, clapped her hand on Harry mouth's before he could say anything, and said trying to balance the situation, "Ron loosed his mind and cursed both of them. I couldn't oppose him as I was also cursing them. And when we entered in Hagrid hut we found you… and Ron again loosed his wits."

She sighed and continued, "You don't know, he is punishing himself worse than a house elf after what he did."

Harry was now not listening to her. He had moved where Ron laid. He looked at him and then suddenly he punched Ron with all his strength. There was a loud _BANG_, and Ron head collided with the floor.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME, YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING PIECE OF SHIT." Harry shouted at top of his voice and continued, "IT WOULDN'T HAVE KILLED YOU TO TELL ME THAT."

Harry raised his fist again, but his hand stopped just few inches before Ron face. Ron was crying, his face was showing a miserable expression. Harry sat beside him and said in a calm voice, "Hey, don't cry."

Ron was murmuring something, which Harry couldn't understand. Ginny came to Ron and said, "I am… sorry, Ron."

"It's OK. Anyone would have said what you said." Ron said.

"Who were those git, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Oh, no. I had taken care of them."

"Who were those?" Harry asked sternly.

"Crone and Goyle." Ron answered mildly.

"Are they here?" Harry turned to Hermione and asked her.

"No, they ran out." Hermione said.

Harry looked pale and disheartened. But, still there was a glow on his face, which was not there before. He turned to Ron and saw his nose bleeding. He pointed his wand on Ron nose, everyone gasped. Harry said, "_Episkey!_"

Ron nose was mended. Ron said in a relieved tone, "Let's go."

* * *

**Author's Note****:** Hello, again. Hope you liked the story. I haven't much to say, so only this. If you want to read the next chapter, review.

Keep Reviewing.

Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note****:** Not much to say here, except a Grawp sized thanks to **miss-harry-potter-weasley** for her overly flattering review.

* * *

**CHAPTER – 2**

**OLD MALADIES, NEW CURE**

The group of four moved outside, into the Great Hall. They passed the table where Malfoy's were sitting, ignoring the table and its occupant's completely. Someone called from behind. Harry turned and saw Draco Malfoy waving his hand at him. Harry was amused and startled, seeing this strange sight which if anyone had told him before he would have laughed. But war changes everything and it seemed it changed Malfoy too.

Harry walked to Draco and said, "What do you want, Malfoy?" His voice was a little harsh.

"Thank you, for saving our lives." Draco said.

Harry felt like someone had smacked his face with a bludger. _Draco Malfoy and thank you and to me?_

"It was nothing. And I was just paying for what your mother did," said Harry, pointing discreetly at her mother.

"No, still, I want to pay you back." Draco said.

Ron who couldn't believe his ears and was ogling Draco, asked, perplexed, "How come you will pay us?"

Draco hesitated a little but said in a firm tone, "I can tell you where um… What was his name, yes, Mad Eye is?"

Harry acted on impulse. He whipped out his wand and plunged it straight into the chin of Draco and said, "Don't make a joke of his death. You know he is dead. Your master, that filthy excuse of wizard killed him."

Draco gulped, as sweat beaded his forehead. Everyone sitting around the Great Hall was staring at them, or more precisely Harry wand tip in utter amazement and horror. Some of them were even hoping that Harry would kill that

"No, no he is alive." Draco continued sinking a little in his seat, "Have you ever found his body?"

Harry replaced his wand back into his robe and said, "We never found his body."

"He is locked in one of our cellar," said Draco.

"Are you saying the truth, Malfoy?" asked Hermione.

"Yes." Draco answered.

Harry froze on the spot. He couldn't believe his ears. This was too good to be true. Mad Eye the survivor had survived once again, was still alive, fighting for his life in a rotten and damp chamber. And Harry knew Draco wasn't lying. War changes people and the example was in front of him. But still Harry wanted to say it too himself, to turn the simple sentence in reality. The word he meant to come out as whisper, came as a shout, because of the zest his body was pumping through his nerves, amplifying the voice hundred fold.

"MAD EYE IS ALIVE."

The result was instantaneous. The Great Hall was enveloped in a deathly silence. Kingsley who was drinking something slopped it all over the table as Harry completed his sentence. He and all of the Order members came running to him and said, "What are you saying, Harry? Is it true?"

"Yes, he is alive," replied Draco for Harry.

"We are going to take him out of that stinging place now," said Harry.

"No, we will send Order members there. It could be a trap, Harry," said Mr. Weasley.

"No way," said George, "We are going. You can't steal D.A. glory. And anyway I absolutely agree Malfoy is a git, but he wouldn't put his and his parent's life at stake. We are going. Where are our brooms?" he added hastily.

"No, you are not," said Mrs. Weasley. She looked like a hungry tigress and Harry was amazed when George stood his ground, although he cringed a little under her mother rage.

"Mum," said Ron, "We are going. We all are adults here and we all have faced much."

Mrs. Weasley didn't reply, which amazed everyone. Then from the corner of his eyes Harry saw her whipping out her wand. But she was a little too late. Ron noticed it and disarmed her mother and as soon as he did so, he hid behind Harry, trying to look completely innocent. George had summoned some school brooms, kept one himself and gave one to Harry and Ron.

"You will need me to open the cellar," said Draco.

"Fair enough," George said, "_Accio Broom!_"

One more broom came pelting in the air to him, which he gave to Draco.

"It will take you hour's to reach there," said Mr. Weasley.

"We will do Apparate once we are out of the school boundaries," said Ron matter-of-factly.

"But, there are reporters clinging on Hogwarts boundaries like vultures." Professor McGonagall reminded them, and Harry wasn't amazed to see a victory smile on her usually thin lined lips.

He couldn't let anyone other than him go. Fighting with George and Ron was useless, they outnumbered him. But the main reason he didn't want anyone to go because if somehow it turns out to be a trap, he would rather die than see anyone else die.

"We will use the Quidditch field," supplied Harry and was amazed by his own quick thinking.

"I will go too," Neville said. He had a broom in one hand.

"Are you sure Neville?" asked Ron, and it looked as he was having a hard time controlling his laughter. Harry could understand Ron suspicion. But he couldn't say no to Neville, not after what he had given for Hogwarts. Neville gave a firm nod.

"So, let's get going," yelled Harry, not wanting any more persons to join. And it was partially because from the corner of his eyes, he had seen Ginny sneaking out, presumably to find a broom.

They all ran to the Quidditch field, ignoring the roar of disapprovals. Harry quickly applied a sealing charm on the changing room doors to stop the others. All five of them, mounted their brooms as soon as they got in the field and they shot-off upward in the sky.

"We will get a little altitude before moving downwards. So, they won't see us," instructed Harry.

They all flew upwards. Hogsmeade looked like an uneven stone.

"STOP," Harry yelled and all of the brooms came to halt at his yell, except Neville whose broom jerked a little.

"As I reach to three, we will go downwards. One… Two… Three." There was sound of _swish…._ And all of them flew downwards. All of them un-mounted their brooms in front of Hog's Head.

"Do you know how to Apparate Malfoy?" asked Ron.

Malfoy sneered and said, "Yes, hold my hand."

Harry felt that sensation again. Everything in front of his eyes went black. He was being pressed very hard from all directions. He could not breathe, there were iron bands tightening around his chest. His eyeballs were being forced back into his head; his eardrums were being pushed deeper into his skull and then he stood in front of the Malfoy's house gate.

Malfoy moved to the gate and touched it. The iron was contorting, twisting itself out of the abstract furls and coils into a frightening face, which spoke in a clanging, echoing voice: "State your purpose!"

"I am Draco Malfoy, and I have come with some friends."

The gates swung open. They all strode off into the manor. After a minute walk, Harry was standing in the same steep stairs from where they were taken to the prison. Ron body went stiff as he glanced up to see the room where Hermione was tortured ruthlessly by Bellatrix. Malfoy halted in between the steps and said to Harry, "My wand, if you don't mind."

"Oh, yes." Harry said plunging his arms in his robe and he took out Malfoy wand. As soon as Draco got hold of his wand, all others made same moment of rustling of robes. Draco blanched for a split second and then tapped his wand on an odd looking brick three times and the stairs shifted to reveal a passage to the basement. The last three stairs sank in the ground and there was now a platform, wide enough for all of them. They all got on it and Malfoy said,

"_Descendo!_"

The platform moved downwards and they stood in a room, which appeared to be a prison. The room was very dimly lit and it smelled horrible. They all murmured, "_Lumos!_" and their wand tip ignited. In the room there was nothing except some bones and some piece of decaying flesh.

"What the hell is this supposed to mean?" George bellowed.

"Show some patience," said Malfoy.

He tapped a corner of the wall where a snake was carved. A small slit appeared in the wall. He thrust his wand in the slit and they could see a man laid on the floor unconscious.

"See he's there. But, I can't help you more. These enchantments are placed by Dark lord and I can't break them."

Harry knew what he needed do. He moved to the corner where the snakes were carved and said, in parseltounge, "_Open._" The wall moved and sank in the ground. All of them ran to Moody aid. But, he was clenched tightly in numerous chains.

"_Diffindo!_" Ron shouted. But, nothing happened.

"_Relashio!_" Harry shouted. The chains whimpered a little but didn't free Moody.

"We should all cast at once," suggested Neville.

"Good idea, Neville." Harry said, "On the count of three, One… Two… Three."

"_RELASHIO!_" Chains broke free of Moody. But as, they moved to free him they again clenched to him.

"That's a little problem, we have." George said.

"_Rennervate!_" Neville shouted suddenly startling all of them.

"Blimey, what are you doing Neville?" Ron shouted at him.

Harry nudged Ron in his chest. Moody was getting up.

"Who's here?" Moody growled.

"It's us, Moody. Harry, Ron, Neville and George… and Draco," Harry said.

"What's that indisposed piece of shit doing here?" Moody growled.

"We will talk later, listen Moody, you will run from the spot when these chains broke free. Okay," Harry scowled when Moody looked at him blankly. After a moment, Moody nodded.

"Then at the count of three" Harry sighed, "One… Two… Three."

"_RELASHIO!_" Chains broke free of Moody. He ran and fell face first but, now he was free of the chains. He tried to stand up but fell face first again and let out a growl.

"Where's your leg, Moody?" Ron asked.

"Don't know." Moody said as he faced Ron. Ron shrieked and stumbled, ultimately, falling backwards.

"What happened?" Moody scowled.

"See your face. You look cuter then an Inferi. One eye gone, face peppered with sexy looking scars and a scowl fixed permanently on your face," George described, "A dream face for every woman."

"Now, will you help me?" Moody said.

"_Accio Wooden leg!_" Harry said. They waited for minutes, nothing happened. Harry looked sheepishly at Moody and tried again, "_Accio Moody staff! _" And still nothing happened.

"Good," roared Moody, jumping on his single leg, "Jolly good."

"Wait," said George suddenly, "I can fix something for you."

The look that passed from Moody face was priceless. For the first time, since Harry had known him, he looked a little scared and the funny part was not from Voldemort, but from George.

"I can manage."

"Oh, you can't," George purred on Moody, "Wait a second."

Harry nudged Ron, who was shaking with silent laughter.

"What's so funny, Ron?"

"You don't know," Ron managed to choke out. Harry answered, immediately, "What I don't know?"

"Last time Moody visited Burrow," said Ron, gaining a little more composure, "Fred hid his leg and changed it with a transfigured firecracker. It was damn funny."

Harry glanced at Moody, who was punching and sniffing his new leg. When he was satisfied he replaced it on his leg. George was ready with a newly transfigured staff. He gave it too Moody, who after his initial check up held it in his gnarled hand.

"I'm now only missing my eye," Moody grumbled mostly to himself. He snatched George wand and said, "_Accio Magical Eye!_" Ron and Harry were red in their faces and could feel the heat building up in their cheeks.

"It's not here," said Harry in a low voice.

"I can see that Potter," retorted Moody. After some silent moments, comprehension dawned on his heavily scared face.

"Where it is then?" Moody demanded.

"In forest where the Quidditch world cup took place," answered Ron.

"WHAT?" Moody growled.

"Let's move. I will tell you the story in the way," said Harry.

"Wait Harry," said George suddenly, "we need to check if he is the real Moody, not a charming Death Eater."

Everyone nodded in agreement. George turned to Moody and said, "Okay which photograph you used to keep in your wallet?"

Moody burned red. Harry and the others sniggered and George winked at them. Moody seemed to have turned into stone. George prodded him with his wand and warned, "I won't hesitate to jinx the truth out of you. So, be a good lad and spit out."

"Elaine Marysoft," Moody grumbled as everyone toppled off laughing. George replaced his wand in his pocket and gave Moody a hearty smile.

"Who told you this?" snarled Moody.

"Dumbledore," said George and laughed when Moody bared his teeth.

"Who is Elaine Marysoft?" asked Harry to Ron.

"She was a Auror for Ministry, when Moody was young," said Ron, "and from what I have heard, she was a awfully beautiful witch. Poor Moody, gave her his heart."

Harry snickered and Moody growled, "You were going to tell me something, Potter?"

Harry told them the story of the ministry fiasco (But he didn't tell him about the deaths). Everyone was amused but Draco was most amused. When they came out in the country lane, Moody said, "I am not going to go without my eye."

"Don't act like a child," said George, "Or I will tell Mum you dragged us in that awful place in night."

Moody gave him a dirty look and seeing the coming fight, Ron said, "Let's go to the forest. It won't take much time anyway. And Merlin knows we want fresh air in our lungs"

They Apparated in the forest. The trees in the night dark look like Dementors and Lethifolds. Neville was shuddering and said, "Let's get out of here quick."

"Blimey, I started to think you as a man, but, you are behaving like a child again, Neville," said Ron.

"_Lumos!_" They all murmured. Harry felt little cold but, he thought that it was probably because it was night and they were in a forest.

"_Accio Magical eye!_" Harry said. Nothing happened. From his behind Moody growled, "What are you doing Potter? It's a magical eye. It would not be summoned like this."

Before he could speak, Ron shouted at Moody, "Down in the cellar, you used it too."

Moody cheeks got red. It was a very rare occasion and it made Moody look somehow more dangerous. He tried to answer in a calm voice, "I am an old man and I can make mistakes. And I got a little nutter, spending months in that hell hole."

"Amazing," George murmured under his breath, "I thought he was a born nutter."

But, now Harry was not listening. He started to move randomly looking for an old, gnarled and resilient-looking tree. When he heard footsteps behind him, he said, "Let's split and look. It will be faster. Look for an old tree with a cross on its bark."

Harry didn't stop while he was giving them instructions and kept looking for the tree. He heard some voices and turned to look at what caused that noise. He didn't found anything. But, the more near he got to the center of the forest, the more cold he felt. It was unusual. But, he didn't mind it because Moody was alive. But, the cheerful thought was vanished even before it came. He started feeling gloomy and the cold was piercing his chest like someone was forcing ice shards in it. He felt that he couldn't be happy in his life. He understood what it meant and turned to go as far as from the center of the forest. He bumped into a Dementor and saw many more circling him. He shrieked for help. He felt grief and fear overpowering his senses. He heard someone… someone laughing…

"_You're joking, Perce!"_

"_You actually are joking, Perce. . . . I don't think I've heard you joke since you were — "_

"_No — no — no!"_

"_No! Fred! No!"_

Then a more powerful grief seized him. He saw many Dementors circling him. He heard voices again… his own voice…

"_Dobby — no — HELP!"_

"_HELP!"_

"_Dobby, no, don't die, don't die —"_

"_Harry . . . Potter . . ."_

And then more grief gripped his heart. He felt a chill running down his spine, his vision blurred, but he could make out a dark face. Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth . . . a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.

He heard voices again… familiar and he felt a cold hand clenching his shoulder…

"_Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"_

"_Stand aside, you silly girl . . . stand aside, now."_

"_Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead _—"

"_This is my last warning_ —"

"_Not Harry! Please . . . have mercy . . . have mercy. . . . Not Harry!_

_Not Harry! Please _— _I'll do anything _—"

"_Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"_

He felt something being thrust in his mouth. He opened his eyes his vision still blurry. He slapped his hand on his mouth to conform that he was awake and heard joint sigh of relief. He realized that he was not wearing his glasses. Was this the cause of his blurred vision? He got up and spurted what was being feed to him on the ground. The light from the wands illuminated it. It was chocolate.

"Blimey, are you fine now?" asked Ron, giving him his spectacles.

"Yes, I suppose so," answered Harry.

"The credit goes to Neville; he founded you." George said, "He produced a Patronus which averted some Dementors from you. He told us that they had nearly kissed you when he arrived. And then he also cried for help as half of them were now mounting towards him and his Patronus was protecting you. And then… you won't believe… Malfoy came. He couldn't produce a Patronus but he also averted some of the Dementors. He was shooting feeble sparks from his wand towards them, when we came. These two" — pointing at Neville and Malfoy — "were on the ground and Neville Patronus was at the point of extinguish. But, both of us scared them away with our Patronuses."

There was a moment silence, after which George said, suddenly, "Sorry forgot to mention Moody. He was ruddy brilliant. Don't make a face on simply the fact that he doesn't have a wand now. He came forward and seeing his cute face, Dementors turned to pepper him with kisses. Saved our lives."

Harry smiled, seeing the old George back in action. But it still didn't felt right, natural. He stood up, his legs shaking and for keeping straight, took support of the tree. He jumped in astonishment when he looked at the tree and shouted, "This is the tree."

He dug the ground and took out his eye. It had become slippery because of the fungus, dirt and moisture.

"_Aquamenti!_" Harry said and a jet of water cleaned it.

"Take it," said Harry as he thrust the eye in Moody hand.

Moody fixed his eye in his eye socket and the eye started rotating in his eye socket sickly.

"Now, let's Apparate to Hogsmeade, I am not felling well in here," said Harry casting a furtive glance around the forest.

"I told you we should get out of here quickly," rebuked Neville.

"What the hell they were doing here anyway?" asked Ron.

"Probably, on hunt. From the point Voldemort was defeated, Dementors would have went into hiding. When they saw Harry, it was like a feast to them and they all plunged the opportunity," Moody elaborated.

"Speaking of which… you were the reason we are here in the first place." George scowled and continued beaming at Moody, "Let Mum hear it, it will be so lovely. She will just tear you apart and feed you to our chickens."

"You are not going to tell her, are you?" asked Moody.

"It depends." said George, clearly enjoying the moment.

"Let's Apparate," said Neville.

"Not now. Look at Harry, he looks pathetic. We should rest for some time," said Ron, motioning something to the other three, which Harry didn't notice.

Harry sat on the ground, taking the support of the tree. Neville sat beside him.

"We will keep watch," said George, and Ron, Moody and George circled them. He saw a body. When he pulled the body near him, he saw Draco. His body was pale.

"What happened to him, Neville?" asked Harry.

"Dementors overpowered him," said Neville.

"Speaking of Dementors, what did you thought that you produced a Patronus in that gloomy atmosphere and what shape it took?" asked Harry, looking, feeling and sounding curious.

Neville hesitated but seeing the emerald eyes of Harry gazing intently upon him; answered, "I thought that my parents would be proud seeing me like this. And I said the incantations. And it spurted out of my wand, my father favorite animal, Lion," He added his face red with embarrassment.

"That's cool, Neville," said Harry.

"But, it was not as powerful as your Patronus. It didn't manage to drift all of them away." Neville said.

"I think different. If you take my thoughts in consideration your Patronus was even powerful than mine. I wouldn't have been able to produce a Patronus in that kind of atmosphere."

Someone shuddered. They both looked around and saw Malfoy shuddering. Before Harry could realize that what happened, Neville whipped out his wand and shouted, "_Expecto Patronum! _" and a silver lion erupted from his wand and charged toward Draco. Harry saw 5 or 6 Dementors dissolving in air.

"That was cool." Harry exclaimed.

Before Neville could reply, they heard footsteps. Ron, George and Moody came running towards them.

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"A couple of Dementors were attacking Malfoy," said Harry.

"We should get a move on. This place is packed with Dementors," said Moody.

"And the funny part is that I couldn't even sense them," said Harry, "seeing that I'm extra sensitive to them."

"No one can. I shot three of them when they were on top of me." George said, "And it's probably because they are swarming around us."

"So, who will take Malfoy?" asked Ron.

"We will worry about it later." Harry said, "Let's Apparate out of this place as quickly as we can."

They held each other arm. After passing the suffocating sensation of Apparition, they were standing in the front of Hog's Head. Everyone gave a sigh of relief. Standing in front of the bar, George got an idea and he said, "Why don't we use the passage to the school."

"No use. Neville grandmother sealed the passage." Harry said.

Ron asked, looking stern, "So, who is going to take the load" — he pointed at Malfoy — "to the castle?"

"Neville" "Ron" "Moody" "George" "Harry". They all shouted at the same time.

"I will." Harry volunteered.

"You are yourself in a dying condition." Ron said, "I will take this scumbag with me."

They all summoned their brooms and mounted them. Ron needed help to mount Malfoy on his brooms and when they took a fast start, Ron shouted at all of them, "Will you mind going a little slow? I have a unwanted load on my broom." Everyone understood he meant Malfoy and slowed their speed.

They landed gracefully in the Quidditch field and Ron jerked a little, making Malfoy smash in the ground on his back. Ron sniggered, and Harry had a shrew suspicion that it wasn't a accident.

"Now, that's really good, little bro," said George.

Harry said, "OK, let's move. And now no need to worry about him." Harry added seeing the look on the face of Ron.

He pointed his wand at Malfoy and said, "_Mobilicorpus!_"

Malfoy body rose in the air and hung few inches from the ground. They started walking towards the Great Hall. They had barely entered the hall when Mrs. Weasley and Narcissi came running towards them. Harry was took in a rib-cracking hug by Mrs. Weasley and Narcissi looked at the pale face of Malfoy.

"What happened to him?" she asked Harry.

"Attacked by Dementors." Moody said bluntly before Harry could say anything tactfully.

Narcissi supported Draco and took him to Madam Pomfrey. Moody moved to the platform, to greet his friends.

"Bloody hell! Over at last," Ron sighed, slumping on the floor.

"Get your bony arse up," said George, kicking Ron butt.

"Ah…………" Ron shouted and made a dirty gesture by his hand at George. George ignored him, and moved to his seat looking weak and broken. They saw two figures charging towards them. Before they could brace themselves for the upcoming collision, they collided with the two figures. Harry lost balance and fell on the floor with a _thump_. Ginny was atop him, staring in his eyes. Before, any of them could go any further or say anything, they heard throat-clearing noise, "_Hem Hem_."

They looked at the source, and so Ron looking at them with a disgusting expression. Harry quickly stood up, and felt color rise in his face, when he saw many pair of eyes upon him and Ginny.

"Now, if you both are done with your — erm — welcome, I would like to eat," said Ron.

"Ginny, could you excuse us for a moment, I need to discuss something with them," said Harry, pointing at Ron and Hermione.

Ginny stared at him in disbelief, snorted angrily but reluctantly followed order, stomping her feet all the way. She was murmuring something under her breath, which none of them gave importance to. The three of them moved to a empty classroom, and sealed it.

"What's the matter Harry?" asked Hermione, looking worried.

"Nothing," Harry started, "just, why is everyone behaving so oddly?"

"No one is behaving oddly, Harry," answered Ron.

"Oh yes! They are. Have you seen their eyes, they are all puffy and red, but their faces are all supporting a wide grin."

"It's just — they can just cry all their life," said Hermione, the doubt in her own voice clear.

"Oh, but I don't suppose they would forgot them so early," said Harry, his voice a little weary.

"Just tell him truth, Hermione," said Ron, crashing in a nearby chair.

"Yes, I will like that," said Harry, taking support of a chair to stand.

"They um… took cheering potion," explained Hermione, gazing in the other direction.

"And why so?" Harry asked, his temper again rising to the surface.

"That's because of you mate" Ron answered, "None of them want to give you any more trouble. Madam Pomfrey told us that you are in some kind of depression and it will help if people around you are all happy and you know, are cheery."

"Do I look this daft to you? I could never ever digest if all of a sudden people start burning crackers and eating feasts when they should be mourning over the dead, the limp and lifeless body of their loved one's," said Harry furiously, his voice cracking with emotions.

"Don't get angry, Harry. All of them want you to be happy after all you had gone through." Hermione stated.

"But, I don't want people to sacrifice their happiness and life for the stake of me. They had more right then me to be happy," said Harry, trying to fight back the tears, which were threatening to fall out any second.

"Harry, why can't you understand a simple thing, these people care for you and you have every single damn right to be happy," said Hermione.

Sensing defeat and wanting to lift the atmosphere from this gloomy one, Harry said, "That's explain all the weird behaviors of people. And please can you tell them that to take an antidote or something for that potion."

Ron looked thunderstruck and Hermione at unease. They both stared at him, as he had said something forbidden. Sensing their unease, Harry asked, "What?"

"Nothing. Just let me go and ask if their is space enough for two more bodies because when Mum gets to know we had disclosed this to you, I would better like to be dead and rest in peace then to hear her yelping and shouting at me for my reckless behavior," stated Ron matter-of-factly, "and yes don't exclude me getting grounded for life."

Harry laughed, but Hermione looked drop-dead serious.

"Loosen up, Hermione," said Harry.

"Don't laugh, Harry. I am bloody serious." Ron pouted.

"I need to go somewhere. I will meet you in the Great Hall," said Harry.

"Wait Harry. Where are you going?" Hermione called.

Harry didn't stop. He just waved his hand to them and climbed the stairs. He halted in the seventh floor. He quickly made his way to Dumbledore's office.

"Can I go in?" Harry asked the gargoyle, which was still knocked aside.

"Oh yes. Don't mind me," the statue said.

Harry made his way up to the spiral staircases, and pushed open the gate. Every Headmaster and Headmistress face turned to see the new arrival. They were looking at him with great interest, which he thought was because of the morning incident. He kept his eyes on the portrait of Dumbledore only, but was amazed seeing the portrait of Snape. The background was a creepy looking room, which Harry thought probably was his old office. Before he could think what he was saying, he blurted out, "What your portrait is doing here?"

Snape looked livid and all the others portrait occupants were looking at them.

"If I have been alive Potter, I would have told you what I am doing here?" Snape snarled, his eyes fixed on him.

Harry wanted to say more, but suddenly he remembered what he had done for him and quickly decided to keep quiet. He strode to the portrait of Dumbledore, who was looking happy.

"So, what's bring you here, my boy?" asked Dumbledore cheerfully, his blue eyes twinkling like sapphires.

But, this question triggered something in Harry's mind, and he strode towards Snape portrait and asked, "Do you know something about Mad Eye body?"

Snape gazed at him in amazement and then sneered, "This is the same question Dumbledore had asked me a thousand times, and I have always told the same answer."

"What?" Harry demanded.

"Manners Potter," Snape said enjoying every moment, "manners."

"Just tell me what I am asking?" Harry said his anger jolting to the limit.

"Or what?" Snape snarled, his nostrils flaring and his eyes boring in Harry's eye.

"Let's see," Harry said sardonically, "maybe I can burn your portrait, huh."

At this many portrait occupants winced and shuddered, Dumbledore just looked at him with bemused expressions. Before either of them could say anything Dumbledore said, "Harry, why do you want to know?"

"Because we found him alive," Harry stated cheerfully.

At this, Snape jumped from his chair, and if he wasn't restricted in the canvas he could have jumped out of it.

"It can't be possible," Snape yelled.

"And why so?" Harry retorted.

"Because Dark lord trusted me and he would have surely told me about him, if he was alive," answered Snape, his eyes still on Harry.

Harry reacted as he hadn't listened to him and said to Dumbledore, "We rescued him from one of the secret chambers of Malfoy manor, which I think only Malfoy and Voldemort knew about" — he looked at Snape portrait, a menacing smile — "not people who just thought that they were near to him."

Snape scowled at this and took it on him as his personnel insult. Harry chuckled and turned to Dumbledore, who said, "Harry, I thought you would be more polite to him after you know what he had done for you, or more precisely for your mother."

Before Harry could answer, Snape snarled, "Dumbledore, we are talking to a ruthless and arrogant Potter. He won't understand anything like this. He is just as worthless as his father."

Harry tried to ignore Snape previous talk and said, "I was just, you know doing it for Sirius. Snape took a great deal of amusement when Sirius was ordered to be caged in that disgusting house and not to mention Remus. I hadn't forgotten the night incident of shrieking shack." He completed it by giving a dirty look to Snape.

"I wish Professor, you could go and see him, but umm… you are kind of stuck in this frame," said Harry.

"Oh! I doubt it Harry. I have my ways if you wish to know." Dumbledore said calmly.

"What ways?" asked Harry and continued, "there are no portraits in Great hall and there is no chance we can fit that much people in any corridor, let alone a class."

"I was not talking about walking down the portraits, Harry," said Dumbledore with a glint of childish mischief in his eyes, "I am talking about using my second portrait."

"You have a second portrait?" asked Harry. Every old Headmaster and Headmistress stared at him, and one of them said, "Dumbledore is a very famous wizard. He obviously have many more portraits."

"We are talking to a Potter here," Snape snarled, "they are well known to be arrogant and narrow-minded."

"I wasn't saying that what you are intercepting," said Harry, "I said that how can he go and meet Moody in the Great Hall, as all his other portraits would be in there places."

"I understood what you are saying Harry," Dumbledore stated calmly, "I have my second portrait in this room."

Every pair of eye turned to Dumbledore, who was smiling benignly. There was a deadly silence, which no one dared to break as everyone waited for Dumbledore to speak. Dumbledore motioned for Harry to move to his desk. He followed the order and stood by the table his hand rested on the top of the table.

"Harry, took out your wand and tap the phoenix carved on the table," said Dumbledore.

Harry looked at him with a quizzical expression, but when he didn't change his expressions, he bent down and lazily looked at the table. Then, he got sight of the something carved on the table. When he gazed at it, it turned out to be a small-carved phoenix. He tapped it. Nothing happened. He tapped it again, but, nothing happened. He looked at the portrait of Dumbledore, who was also staring at the table.

"Oh! I forgot. Say the name too." Dumbledore calmly stated.

Harry looked bemused and at the se time befuddled. _What name?_ It wouldn't hurt Dumbledore too once in a while make things easier for him. But no, then how could he learn.

"Now, there's around a million name, and am I suppose to yell every single name." Harry murmured.

"Did you say anything Harry?" asked Dumbledore, a glint of mirth in his eyes.

Harry grumpily murmured something and tried every ridiculous name which came into his memory. After twenty-thirty names he was fed off and looked at Dumbledore, with a pleading expression and said, "Do you really have to do it? Just tell me the name and I can be over it."

Dumbledore didn't say anything. He just gazed at him, with his piercing blue stare, which made shiver run down his spine. Someone laughed, and when Harry turned he saw Snape laughing. Harry thought of saying something nasty, but found himself exhausted to have an argument with him. He looked at Dumbledore with a pleading expression, but he vanished from his portrait. He turned and looked in every portrait but there was no sign of Dumbledore.

"Oh great! What I needed the most," Harry said sarcastically, "a mind rattling quiz."

He resumed his blabbering of every name which crossed his mind. He slumped to the floor, and sighed. It was a mess. He didn't even need to go through all this pain. He can just get up and move up. But, there was Snape and he was quite sure that he would never leave the chance to pick on him. So, he quickly searched his mind for an appropriate name, which Dumbledore may have use for hiding his second portrait.

"Even a animal would have more brain than you Potter. Maybe you should use a phoenix as your pet, because they are surely more intelligent than you," snarled Snape.

But, Harry got what he needed. He wanted to jump and kiss Snape portrait, but thought opposite. He tapped his wand on the carved phoenix and said, "_Fawkes._"

The carved phoenix started to emit a red-golden glow; the rectangular aside it emitted light and with one swift movement the hidden drawer slid open to reveal a small compartment. He saw Dumbledore resting in his portrait and said, "You took lot of time, Harry."

He was no mood in answering it and just pulled the portrait out of the drawer. The frame looked very expensive, as the frame was made of shiny white metal, which probably was platinum, with strange engravings on it. Seeing Harry curious look, Dumbledore said calmly, "A gift from Doge." He kicked the drawer, and it again merged with the table.

"Show some respect to the Hogwarts possessions," snarled Snape, his lips curling in a cold smile.

"Listen to me Snape," Harry said, Dumbledore gave him a disapproving look, "Professor Snape, lets start on a new front. I'm ready to forget how big of a git you were, that you were a biased scumbag who hated anyone who was popular and was not from Slytherin…"

Harry couldn't control himself. Seven year worth of hatred and loathing is hard to forget and anyway it was tribute to his father, Sirius, Lupin and every other Gryffindor who was exploited by Snape. He would've whole heartily continued, but he caught Professor Dumbledore eyes, who didn't look even remotely pleased, Harry chanced a glance at Snape portrait and felt his inside dancing with pleasure, when he saw the look on Snape face.

"Anyway you get the general idea," Harry couldn't hide a smile, "so, are you on it. You just have to ignore me and if utterly important only then open your mouth about me and mostly about my parents and their best friends."

"I will tell you, you brat of Potter," shouted Snape, who looked positively livid "Lily loved me, me; not that god forsaken Potter, your ugly Dad. But he came between us; he just desired her…"

"Now, stop it," snarled Harry, "you may have saved my life and I'm grateful about it, but, and make it clear in your greasy head, no matter what, I won't tolerate insults on my parents, Sirius or Lupin. If you ever so opened a mouth a fraction to insult them, I will personally make sure that they will be your last words."

"See Dumbledore," Snape rounded on Dumbledore, "that's why I hate every Potter. I gave away my life for him, and what do I get in written, a threat to destroy my portrait."

"I never said that I will destroy your portrait," scoffed Harry, "And I'm grateful that you gave your life but not because of me, because of my Mum. If it wasn't for my Mum, I would have burned your portrait to ashes by now. You have protected me and I accept and honor the fact. And I will make it my first priority that your part is not stamped on, but it doesn't give you any right to point a finger or accuse any of the deceased, who had died fighting by our side. And do you think it's easy to forgot the six year of hell you put me and my friends through, me through. If you think that's possible, than forgot about my Dad. He never did all of it out of fun. You and Dad were fighting, fighting for my Mum attention. And he turned out to be better and so my Mum chose him. And my Mum and Dad suited each other" — Harry drew a deep breath — "And then it's your mistake. You loved Dark Arts, for why? I will tell you. To out power my Dad and show my Mum that my Dad wasn't that cool and powerful everyone thought. But, you know what, he was. Much more than you would have ever been. He died trying saving me and my Mum, even when he knew he have no wand and he was facing Voldemort. You, on the other hand, sold my Dad life, hoping that you will get what you desire" — Harry gave Snape portrait a look of deep loathing — "My Dad saved your life and you took it as one more reason to hate him. Because he was better than you, he had friends who liked him because of who he was, not what he could do. They respected him and for earning that kind of respect people should know how to love, not how to hate. And that was your bloody problem. My Dad was a competition to you. After he and Mum died and I came here, you saw me and thought '_I couldn't defeat the Potter, so what; I will defeat and harass his son_'. And don't tell me its wrong. I know you bloody well; you are a sick, lamented man…"

Harry leaned against the wall to stay standing. His throat felt dry and itchy, but it was not the time to think about it. Harry waked to Snape portrait, cupped it with his hand and said, "But there's one thing I will always envy about you. Your power to love and the bravery generated from it. You loved my Mum with all of your heart and that kept you from turning completely evil. Even though you had strong dislikes for my Dad, you helped Professor Dumbledore to protect me because I was her son and I had her eyes. You could have killed me right here and satisfy the anger. But you didn't. Why? I know. Because you wouldn't have been able to see the life vanishing from my eyes, her eyes, my Mum's eyes. I know we can't be able to get along smoothly seeing our past clashes, but lets try to make a truce, in which you can respect my Mum memories and I can of my parents, Sirius and Lupin and many more.

"This war have taught me many things," said Harry, running a rough hand in his hairs, "Bravery is not just about playing the hero and staying calm in front of your death; bravery is staking your life for your friend's life, for the people you care, like Dobby did for me; bravery is about respecting love in hard times, to cross every border for its protection, like you did for my Mum; bravery is not completely about courage, its about your ability to love, care and respect others. It's about selflessness, like Dumbledore showed, its about faith. Ultimately bravery is comprised of every small thing people usually forget to take in account. But you did take them in account, even siding the loathing for my Dad you shared. To be honest, I won't be able to completely forget you, but yes I will always envy you, for the man you were by heart, the man having a heart of pure gold even in the darkness surrounding it., for being a man who believed in love and its eternal power. Maybe someday when the scars of the war and childhood fights will fade, we would have a little talk. Not about my Dad, but about my Mum…"

Harry's voice cracked by the flood of emotions that surged through his body. He was shaking from head to toe, as his eyes were flooded with tears. And to his amazement, Snape spoke, "Yes, maybe someday, eventually."

Harry smiled, took the portrait of Dumbledore in his hand and walked out of the Headmaster office, leaving it in silence.

"I'm proud of you Harry," Dumbledore beamed, "very proud of you. I never thought that you will control the situation this well. You have clearly shown that you are your Mum's son."

"What do you mean by it Professor?" asked Harry, as he slowly walked down the stairs to the Great Hall.

"Harry I'm proud because you let your heart control the situation, not your head," said Dumbledore, "You share your Dad's head, impulsive and hot; but you have your Mum heart, clear and calm. When you were speaking to _Professor_ Snape, you were talking by your heart and that's why Snape didn't interject, because he too knows, you have your Mum heart. If, any second he would have thought that your head is gaining control of the situation, he would have interjected you, Harry. But all in all, I'm glad that you were able to knock some sense into him."

Dumbledore chuckled and Harry looked at him, surprised.

"Don't be surprise, Harry," said Dumbledore, cheerfully, "I have a shrew suspicion that he met your Dad, Sirius and Lupin on the way and they gave him quite a bit of their heart. That's why from the very moment his portrait appeared on the wall, he had been grumbling about toerag Potter and his wanker friends," Dumbledore sighed, "Something never changes."

"And they are best if they are not, Professor," replied Harry as he took the corridor to the Great Hall.

"Yes Harry," said Dumbledore, his eyes shining with pride, "yes."

Harry entered the Great Hall and no one noticed him. Quickly he performed a disillusion charm on the portrait and strode to the head table. In the was to the head table, he had to resist some very alluring offers, some of them being sitting next to Ginny or laying flat back on the quilt and into a deep slumber. Sighing Harry walked on the head table, where every one was busy talking to Moody and the man in question was busy stuffing himself with foods.

"Hey Moody," said Harry, dropping in the chair next to him. Moody ignored him and continued to gnaw on the chicken leg. Harry, obviously irritated because of lack of sleep and exhaustion, had to control his hand to plant a punch in his face. Instead he bought his mouth near to his ear, in a conspiratorial way and shouted, "I said, Hay Moody. Someone wants to meet with you. And it's not Elaine Marysoft."

The reaction was what he had hoped for. Selected few in the crowd and head table howled with laughter, and Moody sprayed chicken legs bits and pieces all over the table. He turned to glare at Harry, and Harry glare at him unabashed. There were two reasons that Harry didn't cowered under Moody sinister gaze, he was weak and his wand was not with him. Moody looked like he was in a mental war and after some moments he said, "I'm not deaf, Potter," and then in a whispered tone he added, "you will pay for it, have no doubt about it."

"We will see that in the time being," said Harry, "Anyway, Dumbledore ants to talk with you."

"Tell Dumbledore we will talk later," growled Moody, "I want sleep and I have every right to it, since the war has ended and now there are no more reasons for me to give up my sleep and listen to him rattling."

Harry smiled; he knew that all this was because Dumbledore had slipped his little secret.

"Why don't you tell him, yourself?"

"How many times do I need to tell you, Potter?" growled Moody, "I'm not going."

"And I'm not saying it too," Harry snapped and rapped his wand tip at the place where Dumbledore portrait edge should be. Dumbledore portrait came into view and Moody scowl deepened, "I have brought him here."

Elphias was beaming and said, "That's the one I gave you on your one hundred fiftieth birthday. Right?"

"Yes Elphias," said Dumbledore, "it's a nice piece of artifact."

"Yes it is," said Elphias, proudly, "but the trouble was well worth for you, Dumbledore."

"I'm flattered," said Dumbledore, giving Elphias a bow.

"Honestly Dumbledore," said Professor McGonagall, "if you keep continue to be this flattered on this portrait more than I'm going to use you as a rug."

"It will be my pleasure," said Dumbledore, cheerfully; enjoying the situation.

Professor McGonagall glared at the portrait and then turned her accusatory glare on Harry, as saying it is your mistake. Harry stiffened in his chair; even after numerous thin lipped expressions, he never quite got the hang of it. Every time McGonagall would look at him like that, he would want nothing more than the ground to swallow him whole. Harry shifted on his chair, leaned on the portrait and said, "Professor, I'm going."

"Okay Harry," Professor Dumbledore said.

Not wanting to be in the stiff environment anymore, Harry slipped out of the chair to the Gryffindor table. Ginny and his eyes met and he flashed her a brilliant smile. Ginny ran toward her and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Harry hugged her back and buried his nose in her sweet smelling hairs. The Great Hall was filled with wolf-whistles. Harry quickly untangled himself, red with embarrassment and said, "Good night."

He quickly pecked her lips and turned around, his vision swaying because of exhaustion. But his weight seemed much more than ever, and his back arched forward because of the sudden weight. He felt something soft pressed against his back, and without second though he realized that is was Ginny.

"What are you doing Ginny?" asked Harry, standing still, "It's not that I mind, but right now I don't think I can even lift a Pygmy Puff."

Ginny got off from his back, feeling a little put-off. Harry turned, smiled at her scowl and kissed her, a slow sensual kiss, which maybe lasted for many hours or for no time at all. Coughs and wolf whistled filled the Great Hall again. Harry didn't want to end the kiss, but when the noise level became too much for his fragile ear, he had to pull away. When Harry pulled away, Ginny was still lost in the euphoric feeling of the kiss. Her eyelids were closed and her lips were pouted just a little, with a crack between both lips. Harry smiled fondly, pecked her cheek and nudged her a little.

"Why did you pull away?" Ginny complained in a dreamy voice.

Harry didn't answer. He turned and headed toward Gryffindor common room. After a exhausting walk to the Gryffindor common room, in which he had to give autographs and shake hands, he stood in front of the portrait of fat lady.

"Password?" Fat lady said.

"I don't know," Harry yawned, "can't you just let me in. I'm tired to the last bone of my body."

"No password, no entry," Fat lady stated simply.

Harry snarled at the fat lady, and for one nasty moment thought of accusing her that how in the hell she could stop their savior from entering his house common room. But quickly that impulse died and he grumbled, sleepily, "Fine, BLOODY FINE."

He turned on the spot and collided with Ginny, falling on Ginny body. But because of his Quidditch reflexes, he was able to turn in mid air and instead smacked on the ground.

"Oh Harry," Ginny said, surveying him with his eyes, "Are you fine? I'm so sorry. I thought you would be in common room."

"I'm fine Ginny," Harry said, "And I would have been in common room or in my dorms if she" — he pointed a accusing finger at fat lady — "hadn't stopped me from entering."

"And why would she do so?" snarled Ginny, turning to fat lady. When Ginny turned, he realized how much close their bodies were. Ginny breasts rubbed against his chest and he moaned. Ginny turned red and jumped away from him, while fat lady rolled her eyes and snickered.

"WHAT?" Ginny snapped and rounded on fat lady, "Why didn't you let Harry entered?"

Before fat lady could respond, Harry said, "She said we need password to enter."

"But all the passwords were reset," Ginny said, "you could enter any common room and you still won't need password."

Understanding dawned on her and Ginny said to fat lady, "Maybe its time to change the painting. Our old one has gone senile, stopping The Chosen One from entering Gryffindor common room. How about um… we use a paint remover."

"What kind of cruel thing is that?" asked fat lady with a shudder.

"You know, it's a muggle thing," said Ginny, with a evil smile, "they use it remove _unwanted_ bits of paint."

"I was only trying to lighten the mood," said fat lady in her defense.

"Yeah, yeah," Ginny waved it off, "same old story."

Harry was getting more and more exhausted by the passing second. He turned around and stumbled downstairs, trying to find a niche, crook or anything which was devoid of any kind of noise. He heard pounding of steps, but couldn't tell with whom they belong. His or someone else? After what felt like countless steps, he crashed in a door, his feet unable to take his weight. The door burst open and he fell on soft grass. Was he outside? He didn't give a damn about it. The only thing he needed was sleep. When someone entered the room or grounds, he mumbled in sleep, "Close the door."

His order was complied as he heard a click, confirming the door was closed. After some more moments, in his semi-conscious state, he felt his head being lifted upwards and resting on something warm and soft. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around the thing, snuggling in closer as sleep drifted him to wonder land.

_Harry was standing on a cliff of a mountain. Day was pleasant with warm sunlight, clear blue sky and pleasant cold winds trees were scattered around the mountain on which birds were chirping._

"_Catch me, Harry," a girl with long fiery red hair called, as she started running down a steep of a mountain. Harry ran after her and called, "I'm going to catch you, Ginny. You can't run forever."_

_Harry started chasing Ginny, zigzagging to avoid colliding with trees. They ran for minutes and from the top of his eyes, Harry could see a lake._

"_You're cornered, Ginny," Harry called and his voice was reflecting his cheerfulness and joy._

"_I don't think so," Ginny called back and jumped in the lake._

"_Oh so, you want to play it like this," Harry mused and then said aloud, "so let it be like that."_

_Harry dived in the lake, but to his horror found that the lake was now not there. The place where lake was, now was a big black hole, from which he was falling downstairs._

_After some moments of falling, he again landed in the dark corridor. But this time, somewhat about it was different and more eerie. Now it was devoid of the torturing figures of his friend, but still he could sense them around._

_And then his eyes swayed and whirled, or maybe the surroundings around him whirled and he saw Voldemort sitting on a very ugly chair. The brackets around the room flared with fire and to his horror and instant displeasure and grief saw that the chair was made from his friends limbs. Voldemort was sitting on the chair, his hands tapping its arm. Suddenly the full room was flooded with light and Harry screamed when he saw the chair. Its right arm was made of Hermione head's and its left arm was made of Ron head's. And on the top-center of the chair was Ginny head's. All the faces were ghastly white. Blood was pouring through every part of the chair as Voldemort snarled at him, his red eyes glinting with malice._

"_Harry Potter," said Voldemort in his usual cold voice, "we meet again. And believe me its not the last time."_

"_Who are those?" asked Harry, pointing at the chair._

_Voldemort grabbed Hermione hair, pulled on them and said, "How easily we forget Harry, don't we. She's your Mudblood friend, Hermione Granger."_

_He poked in Ron eyes, and blood poured from it like a jet of water, "He's the son of filth's, Ron Weasley."_

_He tilted his head upwards, his tongue licked the sides of Ginny sliced neck, "She is your girlfriend, Ginny Weasley. A blood traitor."_

_He plunged his wand in her sliced throat and Harry shouted, "NO……………"_

* * *

"NO……………"

* * *

**Author's Note****:** Hello, again. Hope you liked the story. I haven't much to say, so only this.

Please tell me how did you like the Snape-Harry conversation, I wrote it by my heart.

Some of the lines are directly taken from book, _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ and _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows_.

The chapter which I have posted is a slightly altered version. But still if you want to read the un-altered chapter, tell me. I will change the rating to M [which is bound to happen, sometime in near future].

If you want to read the next chapter, review.

And yes, if you lot get the time, please review my other three stories (_**The Year Alone, Harder Than imagine and I Knew It All Along**_) too.

Keep Reviewing.

Thanks.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note****:** Hey the chapter has finally been re-written. It's not much good, but it was the only I could re-write.

Thanks to **miss-potter-weasley**, **AryaAliceLuna** and **little-lion-girl42** for reviewing Chapter 2.

Thanks to **Husain**, **AryaAliceLuna** and **navybrat4** for reviewing the preface of this chapter.

* * *

**CHAPTER – 3**

**SOME FORGOTTEN ASPECTS**

"NO…"

"Harry, are you okay?" asked Ginny.

Harry shook his head, smiled and said, "Nightmare."

Ginny looked at him with eyes filled with concern and asked, "Too scary?"

"Nah," Harry dismissed it with a wave of his hand, trying his best to stop the flashes of the dream from invading his thoughts.

"You know Harry," said Ginny, looking down at him, "you never were a good liar."

Harry looked indignantly at her. Ginny smiled a sad smile and said, "You were thrashing around the room."

When Harry made to protest, Ginny pressed firmly, "See yourself, you're covered in sweat."

Harry mopped his head and felt something warm and sticky on his palm. His eyes swept over his shirt, taking in the wet splotches on it. Harry sighed and pressed his head in the soft and warm thing, his head was nestled on. He still felt exhausted and the warm body was turning to be soothing for his overly distressed mind.

He snuggled closer in his warm 'pillow' and asked, "When did you bring this?"

Ginny was confused as she asked, "What?"

"This," said Harry, snuggling in the 'pillow'. Ginny smiled and Harry continued, "Did you conjure it?"

"No Harry," said Ginny, a grin on her face, "I was born with it."

Harry, who was still in the haze of sleep asked, "How can anyone born with a pillow?"

"Because Harry," said Ginny, pausing for effect, "it is not a pillow." She finished in a conspiratorial whisper.

Harry eyes flew open at this. He turned his head to look at Ginny, whose face was bended low at him.

"Then what it is?" asked Harry, sleepily, "It is very comforting. Remind me to purchase some more of it."

Ginny laughed and Harry looked at her in confusion.

"I doubt that you will need to purchase it," said Ginny, "because many witches will try their best to have you use their 'pillows'." Ginny finished with a faint trace of scowl.

"What are you going on about?" asked Harry, getting more confused by the passing second.

"Nothing, just go to sleep," said Ginny, combing his long hair with her fingers. Harry leaned in her touch, feeling the tension soothe out of his head. The massaging of his scalp was inducing a haze of sleep over his mind. It was blissful, like a mother's embrace. Harry let himself been driven by the sensation as he felt the familiar blackness rushing toward him, ready to enclose him in the wonderful world of dreams.

"Harry!" a soft voice invaded the protective wards of his sleep. The voice was sweet, mesmerizing and lovely.

"Harry," said the voice again, "Wake up."

He could feel a pair of warm soft hands gently shaking him. Harry turned his head, nestled his head in the crook of the warm 'pillow' and mumbled, sleepily, "O way."

The shaking stopped. Harry smiled as his hand found the second pillow. It was soft and warm like the first one, but still it didn't budge from its position. Harry stopped pulling it and put his hand below his head. Harry felt warm breath on his face and after a second, he felt something warm and soft on his cheek. It left a burning sensation on the spot. It was hot enough to get him out of his sleep haze.

Harry opened his eye slowly but steadily. Everything appeared a blur of colours, nothing was clear. He slapped his face lightly, in attempt to check for his glasses. It was as he as suspected, they were not there.

Harry sighed and widen his eyes, in an attempt to see his surroundings. His head was still nestled in the warm 'pillow' for which he was thankful as the surroundings were a little cold.

"Here Harry," said the voice, perching something round in his hands. Harry didn't need telling what it was. Harry perched his glasses on his nose and felt relieved when everything came into sharp focus. He could easily make out that he was outside, but what disturbed him more was the fact that, he didn't remember getting outside. Harry sighed again, feeling his sleep hazed mind coming into alert. He turned his head around and was met with the face of Ginny looking down at her. She looked happy and beautiful.

"Hey," said Ginny.

"Hey," answered Harry, snuggling in the warm 'pillow'.

Ginny smiled and commented, "You really seem to like the 'pillow'."

"What's there not to like?" Harry shot back. He was confused when Ginny smirked.

"What?" asked Harry, suddenly smelling something fishy in the whole context.

"Still want to know about your 'pillow'?" asked Ginny, her cheeks burning red with embarrassment.

"Of course," answered Harry, "But why are you blushing?" Harry added when Ginny blushed harder after Harry reply.

When Ginny didn't reply, Harry tried to sit on his knees. Ginny had resisted a little, but Harry was too curious to know the answer. If Ginny wouldn't tell him, he would found it out himself. With that thought playing in his mind, Harry sat on his knees and turned to face Ginny. He smirked seeing Ginny shocked expression and without breaking eye contact, he dipped his hand low in the air and tried to snatch the pillow. When his hand wound on the body of the pillow, he lifted it up in the air, feeling a little amazed seeing the uneven cylindrical built of the pillow. The pillow seemed heavy, heavier than usual and with each pull he found that Ginny was wincing slightly and his hold on the pillow was becoming rather loose.

Harry growled in frustration and looked down at the pillow. His face instantly flushed blood-red which would have made any Weasley proud, when he saw that he was tugging on Ginny's lap. He hastily shoved it aside, skid several inches back and murmured, "Sorry."

Ginny smiled at the scene and said, "What for?"

Harry head shot up as he glared at her accusingly.

"You sat me up?"

"I didn't," said Ginny, indignantly.

"Oh yes, you did," said Harry, "You knew and still you behaved as you knew nothing."

Ginny face flushed red, not the delicate red of embarrassment, but the angry red of anger.

"You were the one who wouldn't let me explain."

"How was I supposed to know?" Harry shot-back, praying for an interruption.

"You know, you are a thick-headed git," spat Ginny.

They sat in silence. None of them moved, looking pointedly away from each other. Harry took this opportunity to look around his surroundings. His surroundings looked the same as of forbidden forest, but there was no way he could've walked all the way to the forbidden forest because up to he remembered he felt exhausted to his last bone and after Fat Lady had refused to allow him to entrance without password, he had stumbled in a room.

Harry raked his brain, trying to find where he was, when he heard the faintest sound of sobs. Harry strained his ears, willing them to catch the source of the sounds. The sounds were coming from his right side, where Ginny sat. Harry whipped his head in the direction and in one hop he sat near Ginny, his arms draped around her shoulders, as he murmured words of understanding in her ear.

When Ginny stopped shaking, Harry cupped her cheek and with the pad of his thumb wiped her tears off from her cheek. He forced Ginny's head in his chest and asked, "Why are you crying Ginny? Did I do something wrong?"

There was no answer for a moment. Harry didn't force her to answer, having experienced the cases where one needs to regain their composure themselves.

Time continued to trickle but Ginny didn't answer. Harry just held her in his embrace, waiting patiently for an answer to his question. He felt Ginny stiff body relax in his embrace. He loosened his grip, cupped Ginny chin and lifted it up so that both of them were looking in each other eyes.

"What happened, Ginny?"

Again, there was no answer for some time. Ginny just continued to look at him, emerald-green eyes locked with chocolate-brown eyes. They conversed with their eyes; they talked more than they could've ever said with their mouths. But still, there was a need for confirmation and it would only come after expressing their feelings.

"What happened, Ginny?" Harry repeated, a little firmly.

Ginny eyes filled with tears and it seemed as she was trying her best to refrain from crying. The tears clung to her eyelashes and brimmed the outline of her eyes. Harry looked intensely in her eyes and for the first time noticed the redness surrounding the corner of her eyes. It looked as she had been crying, a lot.

"What happened, Ginny?" Harry repeated the third time, with a firm voice.

Ginny still kept quiet, but Harry noticed that her lower lip was quivering. It seemed as she wanted to say something, but was unable to. The tears glistened the corner of her eyes as her body started shaking, vigorously. Harry gently held her and started rubbing circles on her back.

Time continued to pass, but none of them tried to pull the other from the embrace.

"Harry," came Ginny voice. It sounded weak, insecure and fragile. The last time he had heard her voice so full of insecurities was in her first year.

"Yes," replied Harry, pulling her away from the embrace, so that both of them could have eye contact.

Silence surrounded them again as Ginny lips started quivering again. She buried her head in his chest and Harry could feel wetness on his chest.

"Harry," came Ginny voice, a bit muffled.

Harry didn't say anything, nor did he pull her away from the embrace. He leaned into the embrace, letting her know that he was listening.

"You know… what, what happened," said Ginny between sobs, "The — they were, were tak — taking F — Fred body back."

Harry kept quiet, listening intently. Ginny had been with him from the start and so she hadn't had the time to grieve in Fred much. As much as everyone was happy to finally have Voldemort free world, they still needed to remember the fallen, grieve on their dead and lifeless bodies. And Ginny was no exception.

He could understand what would have happened to her, when she would have seen Fred lifeless and pale body. He couldn't dare to fathom the feelings Ginny must had been feeling at that time and now. He was feeling down himself, and would grieve too, but for him it was different. He hadn't lost any family members, because he had none. But Ginny had lost a brother and the feeling of pain would surely run deep in her heart. Yes, he had lost some very close friends and people in his life, but she had lost an important person of her life. The one she had grew up with, played with was not there for her anymore. It must felt horrible, beyond imagination.

So, Harry kept quiet, as silence tears fell from his eyes, dribbling down his cheek to get lost in Ginny hair. He felt weak, weak beyond imagination. The only thing that was helping him sit and hold Ginny was a resolution, resolution to help and give support to Ginny. He had lost many close people in his life, but for Ginny, Fred was the first and he hoped from all his heart that he would be the last. Taken, every death of his loved one's was more painful than the other, but it had taught him one thing. Faking. He could fake his feelings for so long, until he was alone, alone and vulnerable.

"Harry," came Ginny voice again, pulling him out of his trance.

Harry opened his mouth and felt sobs clouding his throat. He sealed his lips tight, trying to swallow back the sobs. When it didn't help, he just hummed, "Hmm…"

There was no reply from Ginny. Harry felt relived and tensed at the same moment. Relieved because he now got a chance to fake his emotions which were threatening to burst. Tensed because of Ginny. Still he didn't look down, afraid that his emotions would guide him over.

He glanced around, taking in the familiar setting of the forbidden forest, trying to get his mind to stop from dwelling in the vast pools of painful emotions which were swarming in his head. He took in the familiar sight of the trees and felt his heart clenched in his ribcage. It was the same spot or the exact replica of the place where he had met Remus, Sirius, his Dad and his Mum. His eyes stung with tear and his throat constricted with sobs as his eyes refused to move. Without even realising, his body started shaking with sobs, the sobs he had so expertly managed to keep in wraps.

He didn't know, when Ginny broke-off the embrace and pulled his head to her shoulder, stroking his hair lightly. He didn't know, how much time passed. He didn't know a thing then. And nor did he cared.

Because the gravity of the whole situation, the aftereffect of the bloody massacre came whipping toward him. His vision was filled with the images of dead bodies; from the limp and lifeless bodies of his parent, to the small, fragile and unmoving body of Dobby. His mind was flooded with guilt, remorse, self-loathing when he understood how many families had been ruined for his sake. The memories too, were torturing him, tormenting him.

For one second they all would come rushing in, clouding his mind and the next second they would be gone, letting his mind become more raw and more fragile for the next assault. It was torture, the highest degree of torture for him seeing Fred dying again and again, seeing Dobby taking his last breath, hearing Dumbledore's final words, seeing the last smile on Sirius face, hearing what Cedric ghost said…

He screamed. He let out an inhumanly yelp of pain. With every trickling second, with every tick of the clock, with every breezing wind his mind was burning, burning in agony, burning in grief, burning in pain, burning in remorse. He wanted to lose consciousness, he wanted his mind to go into oblivion, the familiar darkness, but it just wouldn't come. The torture these memories were inflicting was far worse than what could Cruciatus Curse could ever induce.

With every passing second, his lungs were burning and his heart seemed to get heavier. His vision swam, making the world around him a whirl of colour. He felt his heart clench, clench so tightly that it almost stopped beating.

But did Harry care about it?

No. He didn't even know that his heart was in a panic seizure. He was off to somewhere in his memories, reliving every horrible detail of his life, reliving every death, relieving hell on the earth, on the very spot.

He didn't feel his skin getting pale. He didn't even respond to his slowing heartbeat. He didn't fight, when the blackness came to claim him. Because in a way it was improvement. Because he wasn't supposed to relive those memories again. He saw blackness seeping through the corner of his eyes, he felt his body giving in the gravity and he felt a warm body supporting him. He knew someone was there, someone he knew, but his memory wasn't with him now. His lungs fought for breath, heaving heavily trying to draw noisy breath from his nostrils. But somehow the sucked wind never reached his lungs, getting lost somewhere in the way.

The darkness enclosed most of his cornea, leaving a small circular spot which too was giving in the alluring promises of the darkness. His senses were slowing, becoming in-responsible. But did he care?

No. The blackness was a step forward, step forward to reunite with the dead so he could seek their forgiveness. But still some kind of invisible force was keeping him tethered to the consciousness, making him relive every horrible detail of his life. He wanted to shout, to detach himself from the body, but found himself unable to do so.

For the first time, he regretted his slowing senses. But this was only for a moment, as darkness finally managed to detach him from the invisible force. It wrapped his body in the alluring and comforting wraps, pulling him into oblivion.

**X*X*X*X*X — GINNY SPECIAL POV START — X*X*X*X*X**

Ginny felt tender warmth in Harry's embrace. The warmth was soothing her and it felt like he was soaking her grief, pain and remorse. But there was something wrong with him. She could feel it, feel it under his embrace.

So, she pulled her head away from his chest and said slowly, almost in a whisper, "Harry."

His body tighten for a second, probably because of the sudden surprise. After the initial shock, he hummed, "Hmm…"

The reply sounded so usual. It didn't carry any note of pain, panic, grief, resentment, self-loathing she was excepting. Smiling to herself, Ginny nestled her head again in his chest.

And then many things happened in span of eighteen seconds.

For the first four seconds, Harry's body behaviour was normal, except the occasional tightening and a little shuddering of his body. Before Ginny could completely understand what it was, she felt his heartbeat slowing. The regular wafts of warm breath from his nostrils were decreasing by every passing second.

Ginny pulled her head up but not before the seven seconds had passed. She pulled Harry's head on her shoulder as his whole body shuddered with the pressure of the suppressed sobs.

Ginny slowly pulled his head away from her shoulder and looked him over, Harry body was getting paler by the second and his eyes held a faraway look. His face had a bitter grim expression with a twinge of panic in it. He let out a scream, a scream filled with so much regret, self loathing, self contentment, guilt that it was almost palpable.

And then suddenly his face expressions changed. He now looked at peace. His pupil were expanded, like his eyes were trying to see in the dark. He started to draw noisy breath, like some invisible hand was closing around his neck, suffocating him. Fifteen seconds passed up to the moment.

She saw his limb falling to his sides. Ginny tried to shake him, but when it didn't help, she dashed toward the door. Her mind couldn't make rational thoughts, it was covered in way too much panic. She looked frantically around and saw the back of Ron's and Hermione's head.

"RON!"

"HERMIONE!"

Ginny cried out, as her body shook vigorously. Ron and Hermione whipped their head in her direction. Ron started running toward her, Hermione on his heel.

"What happened?" asked Ron, his voice thick with concern.

"Harry…" was all she could say. Because Ron shoved her aside and stormed in the room. He must have gotten the idea, when he had seen the panic expressions on her face, when she had said his name. Hermione gave Ginny a hug and entered the room.

Ginny noticed that Hermione looked more composed and serene. But Ginny knew better. She could see right through the facade Hermione had created. Under the facade, was a look of extreme panic.

Ginny turned to enter the room, when he heard a blood curdling scream.

"HARRY!"

The voice belonged to Hermione and if someone could have made her cry this inhumanly, then it was no doubt Harry was in deep trouble. This made Ginny's heart burst in two, in panic. Her feet jammed in the ground, refusing to move. Twenty-five seconds had passed already passed up to the moment.

**X*X*X*X*X — GINNY SPECIAL POV END — X*X*X*X*X**

**X*X*X*X*X — RON SPECIAL POV START — X*X*X*X*X**

Ron stood with Hermione, leaning against the outer wall of Classroom eleven. Harry and Ginny were sleeping inside, or they were when he last check. He still didn't like the idea of her baby sister in a room alone with a bloke and surely not when the aforementioned bloke was using her laps as pillow. But when he came to Harry, everyone loosened their rules and Ron was no exception.

And truth be told, he didn't mind it in the first place. From his fifth year, when Ginny had started dating, he had always wished for Harry and her to become a couple. Because he trusted Harry the most, the most in the world. He always like seeing them together flirting, cosing up but he would be damned if he ever told Harry any of this.

"Harry had been asleep for nearly sixteen hours now," said Hermione, breaking Ron out of his trance.

"What?" asked Ron, yawning and moving around.

"I said," snarled Hermione, exasperated, "Harry had been asleep for nearly sixteen hours now."

"If he is asleep, that is," said Ron darkly and shook his head, when horrible images clouded his mind.

He looked at Hermione, who was scowling scornfully at him. He swallowed thickly and said, "You cannot blame him. The bloke died. Surely a trip from heaven to earth will exhaust anyone."

"He never reached heaven," said Hermione, his face getting a calculating look, "if it even exist that is. But maybe it does. After all, wizarding world does exist. So, maybe you know, the extract from the book…"

Ron groaned, barely audibly. He felt like banging his head on the wall. He had given Hermione a topic to go on about and Merlin knew he would probably die first then hear the end of it.

Who care if heaven existed or not? He was alive and personally he didn't fancy a visit to heaven anytime soon. Not until he saw the children of his grandchildren. He thought with a twinge of blush, casting a furtive glance at Hermione.

"RON!"

"HERMIONE!"

The voice pulled him out of his reverie. The voice sounded awfully like Ginny. He whipped his head in the direction of the voice and from the corner of his eyes, he saw Hermione doing the same. He looked at Ginny, who stood some metres away looking panic struck. He dashed toward her, Hermione on his heels.

"What happened?" asked Ron, his voice thick with concern.

"Harry…" Ginny started, but Ron shoved her aside and entered the room. The panic struck look and the feeble voice was more than indication to him that something was wrong with Harry.

He skidded to a halt in the familiar surroundings of Classroom eleven. In the middle of the room, lying on the floor was a body which looked limp and lifeless. He ran to the body and with every step, he felt his heart clenching in his ribcage. Because with every passing step, the body of Harry became clear. His messy black hairs, the cloth he was in the last time he saw Harry, his round glasses on the floor…

Ron slumped to his knees and gently lifted Harry's head, putting it on his laps. He felt for his breath; it was shallow but it was there. His face expressions matched one of deep pain.

Seconds later, Hermione came bustling in the room. As soon as her eyes fell on the pale body of Harry, she shrieked, "HARRY!"

**X*X*X*X*X — RON SPECIAL POV END — X*X*X*X*X**

_Harry was somewhere he didn't know. As a matter of fact, he couldn't know because he was enveloped in darkness. Still he didn't feel panicked. To him, it felt as he was supposed to be here._

_But it was only for moments. The darkness was soon illuminated by lights. He looked around trying to find the possible source of lights. And then it hit him. The lights were coming from all around him, from the memories, he thought he had left behind. Somehow they looked more gruesome than ever and every flick of the frame of those memories was like a painful stab in his heart._

_For the peacefulness, he had accepted the blackness so gradually, didn't come. Rather he was getting more torturous scenes, dug from the most horrible aspects of his life. For a moment before the darkness had completely taken him, he had thought that he was dying again. And maybe this time for never returning. But if this was dying, he didn't want to die._

_But what if he was already dead? What if the Reaper had already claimed his soul? What would if many years had passed since his death and he still felt like no time had passed. After all Nearly-Headless Nick was living as a ghost for more then 500 years._

Maybe ghosts don't experience the ever varying change of time,_ Harry thought, closing his eyes tightly, so as to block the memories that were swarming around him._

_But he still could very clearly hear the voices; the screams of help, the sound of last breaths as someone was breathing near his ear…_

_It was more painful then seeing the memories._

_And then a splitting pain emanated from his heart, piercing his way through his body to his mind. His head felt like it would split open. The pain was almost unbearable. He felt darkness engulfing him again. But this time he resisted, fearing what might be in store for him, if he let the blackness take him._

_He tried with all his might, but the continous flow of the splitting pain was taking all his energy to stand still. And finally, the darkness won again, dragging him into a fathomless pit._

Harry felt his body lying on something warm and soft. He could barely hear the conversations that were going on and he was more than happy for that. He didn't want to relive every horrible detail of his life, again.

But there was something, just something he couldn't name or put a finger on that gave him the thought that he was now in the real world not in the darkness. Still, he didn't dare open his eyes, fearing the worst. Just to assure himself, he twitched a little, feeling the soft material underneath his body rustle in response.

"Harry," a voice came. The voice was barely loud than a whisper and was very sweet. It gave him hope, hope of a future as he liked to put it, when he was on the watch while they were on the run from Voldemort. His eyes involuntarily opened a crack, listening to his heart and ignoring the orders that were coming from his mind.

He saw the blurred form of Ginny. Streaks of red hair, a pair of puffed brown eyes, tear stained cheeks and above all a jaunty smile, a smile that could easily melt his heart.

"Hi," Harry whispered, feeling the dryness of his throat.

"Hi," Ginny whispered back, leaning a little towards him.

Harry tilted his head to face Ginny completely and whispered, because that was all he could do, "I'm missing _my_ pillow."

Ginny smile widen as she said, "Do you now, Harry?"

Harry looked innocently at her and nodded his head.

"All the other pillows don't have that feel in them."

"What feeling? They don't have blood pumping through them," Ginny quipped, having a hard time controlling her laughter.

"No, that's not the reason," said Harry and before he could continue more, Mrs. Weasley came to his side.

"Harry, you are awake," said Mrs. Weasley and before Harry could remark on that, she continued, "You look peaky. And don't blame yourself for what happened to the people. You didn't do anything of it that was all You-Know-Who doing."

As he heard Mrs. Weasley say that, the flashes came back to him. His mind panicked as he was forced to relive those memories. And suddenly, his body was taken in a vice like grip, cutting off his oxygen supply. His heart missed a beat in panic but then realized he was engulfed in Mrs. Weasley hug and he relaxed. He let his body relax in the familiar embrace, feeling all his horrible thoughts getting back to the darkest corner in his mind. The familiar warmth was soothing his mind, kneading all the worries out of it. He felt at peace, the peace he had been trying to find from the start.

Mrs. Weasley awkwardly pulled away, patted his back and headed out of the room. Harry for the first time looked around his surroundings, trying to find where he was. The bed he was laid on moments ago looked familiar. As a matter of fact, the room looked familiar too. He looked around the Gryffindor boy's dorm, his eyes sweeping over the golden-red hanging of the four-poster, the large windows, the circular built. They stopped on two figures which were standing in the corner, looking at him intently. His eyes made contact with the girl eyes, and by the next second, he was engulfed in a hug by the girl. Her bushy brown strands of hair which had escaped her ponytail were irking his face. But at that moment, he ignored it as he hugged her back. The girl was crying; Hermione was always easily reduced to tears.

"Hey, don't cry," said Harry and backed away wincing in pain, when Hermione fist connected with his abdomen.

"Why did you do that?" asked Harry, eyeing her warily, as he massaged his abdomen.

"Why did I do that?" snarled Hermione, whipping her wand out, "If Madam Pomfrey hadn't said that you need rest, I would have gladly showed you what you did."

"I didn't do anything wrong," Harry whined, plonking on the nearby bed.

Hermione glared at him accusingly. Harry tried to glare back, but the intensity of the glare was too much. He had to turn his eyes away, in turn making himself look suspicious.

"Leave him Hermione," said Ginny, having a hard time controlling her laughter. Hermione turn her glare at her, and Ginny backed away, also not daring to make eye contact. Harry smiled, victoriously at Ginny and she threw him a dirty look.

Harry heard footstep approaching him. He slowly turned his head, hoping that it was someone other than Hermione. And it was someone other than Hermione. Ron stood towering over him, looking quite intimidating. Harry stood up, hesitantly and found himself locked in another embrace. It was not like Ron to hug someone. Harry hugged him back, awkwardly patting his back.

The hug was short-lived, much shorter than compared to the hugs Mrs. Weasley and Hermione had given him. Ron gave him a sheepish expression as he pulled away, his cheeks flushed. He looked as he had did something wrong and caught in the act.

"Fine now mate?" asked Ron, rubbing the back of his neck.

Harry just nodded, not trusting himself to stop from laugh out loud. Ron looked as he suspected Harry's suppressed reaction because he gave him a pointed glare and stormed out of the room. Hermione raised an eyebrow at his retreating back and followed him out, muttering something about 6 feet daft.

Harry flopped on his bed, savouring the loneliness. He didn't know about the second person in the dorm and jumped out of his skin, when the said person called him, "Harry."

Harry heaved a sigh of relief, when he recognised Ginny's voice.

"Merlin," he panted out, "you scared me."

"I did now, did I?" Ginny asked, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.

"No I just have a habit to go around and behaving as I'm going to die the next second," Harry muttered.

_SLAP._

Harry's face whipped to his side, a throb pumping into effect as soon as his face steadied. He could feel the vigorous pump of blood in his cheek and the itchy feeling that was prickling his cheek.

He slowly turned his face to look at Ginny, his face showing his disbelief. Ginny's hand was still on the exact position from where it had left his cheek. He could clearly see the throbbing blood in his palm, as it was quickly turning red. Maybe she had bruised herself in the process of hitting him.

And that hurt him the most. Why she had hit him? He hadn't did anything wrong, not of anything he was aware of. And if he had did something wrong, it surely wouldn't have merited a slap.

As he felt the anger bubbling in his chest, he turned away. He didn't want to do something he would regret later. He wanted that to be a sign for her that she should go. But when she didn't, Harry got up from the bed, caressed his slowly swelling cheek and muttered, "I am going out."

He didn't wait for an answer. He silently donned his Invisibility Cloak and walked out of the dorm room. He trudged down the stairs and out in the breezing summer in the ground.

The summer breeze blew around him, making the Invisibility Cloak flap against his skin. He walked around aimlessly, trying to find a secluded corner. Surprisingly the past minute events hadn't troubled him that much that he would have thought.

Maybe it was the feeling of despair he was feeling inside of him.

He didn't get the time to ponder on the thought more because he founded a nice sunlit secluded corner. It was perfect for Harry and he was amazed he had missed it before. Birds chirped in the distance and he could faintly hear the pounding of hooves on the ground coming from a distance.

He stretched himself on the cool grass and pressed his left cheek to the soft grass, feeling the coolness of it soothing his cheek, he still didn't pulled the cloak away fearing the threat of being recognised.

Time around him seemed to pass in a bur. He was soon looking in the slowly turning dark sky. He had just laid there throughout the whole time. It gave him a thoroughly peaceful feeling. No one had come looking for him and it was the sprinkle on the cake. Maybe all of them were just presuming that he was fast asleep in his old room with Ginny.

The repletion of the name revived the throbbing in his cheek. He gently caressed it and winced when he felt the sting of the bruise. Harry pushed himself on his knees and shoved his hand in the pocket of his pant. They rustled with something, something edgy and crisp. He pulled the thing out and for the first time after pocketing it, he saw Dumbledore's letter.

Thinking of opening it inside, he made to push it back in his pocket. But curiosity got the better out of him and he pulled the letter back. Tearing the rim of envelop slowly he glanced inside. There was nothing except a piece of parchment which was very neatly folded.

He pulled it out, half hoping that it would activate some kind of charm and the parchment would turn into a Phoenix or something and fly high in the air. But nothing like this happened.

Feeling disappointed, Harry slowly unfolded the parchment, unruffled it and started reading:

_Dear Harry,_

_If you are reading this, everything would have been restored. You would have seen that Voldemort meets his fate and by Merlin grace probably you will have discovered the true ligancy of Professor Snape._

_And let me be one of the last people to congratulate you on your marvelous victory. I know you never liked fame and probably never will, but ah doing something heroic comes with a price, a price most of us starts to hate as the time progress. And you who have seen both the good and bad side of the fame in such a short period of time would surely loathe even the term._

_Ah now I should stop goofing around, because I have very less time with me and so much to teach you. I know there will be a moment when you will hate me, when you will find about my past during your journey. But do forget this old man, who did many mistakes during his trek to adulthood._

_I have kept many secrets from you, you would surely have found out if you are reading this. And believe me when I say this Harry, I had no choice. Yes, sometime I was a little selfish because I see you as my grandson I never had. I was and always will continue to be amazed by your talents and your unfazed courage. But I know you have a hot head and as much as Lily's heart dominates you; James head dominates you when you are in a tight situation. And I feared the effect, the effect it would have on you if you discover everything in a single day, or even a month. The information could have addled with the rational part of your brain and that was the last thing I want. So, I kept some secrets from you, letting you solve them yourself._

_And some of the secrets I have to keep from you because of some promises I made and to keep you safe. Even to me most of the reason sounded selfish but at that time they sounded just right to me. An old man mistake which cost much._

_Now the real reason for which I write this letter because if my planning goes by plan, we would have discussed every other thing in our meeting. And in between try to be a little soft on Snape._

_I want to give you something, which I couldn't have mentioned in my will because at that time the item was sure to be confiscated by the Ministry. I want you to have my Pensieve. Now I think this letter will be enough to prove you that I have passed it to you, in case they don't take your word which is very unlikely._

_I have managed to secure some memories from the Order members and other sources. I have managed to make a collage of memories mostly concerning James and Lily. I know it never would replace the hollow feeling in your heart, but I pray that it will mend it a little. I got this idea just a week before. After our second meeting, I could feel myself getting weak at a much faster pace than I suspected. But there were many things which needed to be done. So, I planned to have the resource available to if I meet my demise before I got to tell you everything you need to know._

_But there were no unfortunate events, not until the day. So, today I ventured out and collected every single memory of your parents I could. Now I sit alone in my room, waiting for you to come so we both could go and destroy one more of Voldemort Horcruxes. I know today I will have to trick you in doing something you won't like, but I don't have a choice. If I even die trying, it will be worth it. My life for one of Voldemort Horcrux is a very good bargain._

_And now if you are reading it, you have achieved the inevitable. So, except a gift from an old man on your success and extend my regards towards Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, they both deserve it as much as you do._

_So, remember Harry; Life can be as short as a second and as long as a day. So savour every second and cherish every smile because you deserve it, everyone deserves it after what they had gone through. Please take this old man life advice as an added gift._

_Your sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S.: I am going to miss Lemon drops._

Harry reread it again and again, taking in the advice of his former mentor, his dead grandfather. He was the one who had showed him the right path. Taken he did manipulate a little, but no one in this world is perfect, just no one. And Professor Dumbledore was no exception. After all he was just a common wizard, given with unmatchable talents, brainpower and all, but ultimately a common wizard who had some dreams, who had some wishes.

Harry sighed, pocketed the letter and got up on his feet feeling disturbingly happy. His hand brushed against his cheek and for the first time he felt anger toward Ginny. Now when the feeling of despair, resentment and self loathing had subsided he could feel anger bubbling in his chest, anger over Ginny.

He was still confused, confused over the fact that why Ginny had suddenly hit him. Even after many repetitions of that particular minute in his head, he came empty handed. Maybe today wasn't his best day.

He silently crossed the Great Hall and trudged up the stairs, not even knowing or caring where he was going. After some moments of walking, he found himself standing in front of the Fat Lady. She eyed him critically, almost accusingly but refrained from speaking. Before Harry could even tell her to open up, the portrait swung forward almost whipping his bruised cheek.

Harry snarled and entered the common room. There was a crowd settled in the centre of the common room. All of them looked worried and some of them even looked like maniac. Harry gulped, feeling that something horrible had happened.

"What happened?" he asked, to no one in particular.

Every head whipped in his direction, making him stagger backwards. They were burning holes in his body and Harry wished that he would just disappear. In all the commotion, he had removed his Invisibility Cloak when he had entered in the common room and now he was cursing his luck.

Everyone seemed to be too shock for a moment and Harry took it as his cue to vanish somewhere, just away from all these pry eyes. But when had his wishes been granted. The shock on their faces was just for a moment, before everyone came to sudden action. He was engulfed in multiple hugs almost making him grasp for air. But if it just had stopped at that.

Mrs. Weasley quickly snatched him away from the group of hands and started fussing over him. He was fine with it, after all it was better than to have yourself choke on your breath.

Until, she noticed the bruise on his left cheek, which was slowly turning purple and black. She gasped and it drew the attention of all the other.

_Good, more attention_, he thought and threw a glare at Ginny direction, who seemed to be prowling in the shadows, looking like an Inferi.

"What happened, Harry?" asked Mrs. Weasley as she performed some quick flicks of her wand. a soothing sensation bubbled in her left cheek, mending the bruise in seconds.

"Nothing," he mumbled and quickly looked away, not daring to meet anyone eye's. Hermione seemed to be looking him over with a calculating look. Never a good sign. Harry quickly tried to jump off and run off somewhere, somewhere none of them could find him. But he was stopped by many pair of hands, all of whom seemed to want something from Harry. And Ron was the first.

"Where the bloody hell you were?" asked Ron and the way he was flexing his wrist it was clear that Harry had been spared from a punch because of Mrs. Weasley presence. And Harry soon found himself clinging tightly to her.

"Just outside," said Harry, airily, "Enjoying the nice weather."

"Would it have hurt you, if you have told us Harry?" Hermione shot in next, her glare freezing the last drop of his blood. He was now excepting Ginny to launch into a series of nasty comments before he realised that she was the reason he left the dorm room in the first place.

Awkward silence followed, which remained for just a second. Seeing no way of walking out of the common room fairly, Harry yawns and said, "I'm going for a bit of sleep,"

He didn't wait for an answer. He charged to his dorm room and as soon as he came in arm distance of his four-poster bed he flopped on it. He felt exhausted to his last bones, and he wanted nothing better than to seep. Now as his head lay on the cold pillow, he just couldn't help wondering about his warm pillow.

With these thoughts in head, he lay on the bed completely still. Sleep started to crawl around him and pull him into itself when a knock came from the door. It pulled Harry out of his sleep haze and Harry cursed. He lay there completely still as a second knock came from the door, contemplating whether it was worth the trouble or not.

The person on the door was persistent because there was a knock on the door for the third time. Harry cursed under his breath and made a beeline toward the door. He yanked the door open, a question on his lips but it was lost somewhere when he saw the person on the door.

Ginny stood there, her knuckle raised to the height of his chest, shaped for another knock. Her brown eyes were brimming with tears, and her lips were quivering horrible. She had a resigned, almost dead expression.

This sight of Ginny, so weak and fragile almost broke his heart in two. Without caring or thinking twice, he embraced her in a hug, a hug so tight that it could've put the Weasley's on shame. Ginny, all the while, wept on his chest babbling something incoherently and very hastily.

He was not even getting a word of it, but he let her continue on. He silently backed away, pulling her in the room as he closed the door with a kick.

And suddenly the memory of the slap came rushing to him. He could almost feel the resounding sound of the slap in his ears. But for the time being he pushed it aside.

He slowly and steadily pulled Ginny away from the embrace, making sure not to apply more then a gentle pressure in doing so. Ginny was startled for a moment and looked ready to protest. But then her expression change and she dropped her gaze, wringing her hands. And for the first time Harry noticed the swelling on her right hand. Some of the swelling have turned purple, indicating that she must be in great pain.

So, Harry silently took her right hand in his own, pulled out his wand and muttered something, tapping it on his hand. For a brief moment, something remarkably like pride fluttered in his chest for learning one or two healing charms before it died down after seeing Ginny's blatant discomfort.

So, as soon as her hand was back to normal, Harry let it drop to her side as he stowed his wand back in his robes. Ginny hand twitched for a moment, looking as it will reclaim it old position, but then the moment passed and it fell to her side.

Awkward silence followed between them in which both of them sat there like lifeless dolls, staring into the unknown. Time trickled away but none of them made a move toward doing anything to break the silence, which was turning more awkward by the passing second.

Suddenly, a sob escaped Ginny's throat and before Harry could even twitch a finger, Ginny started crying. Harry draped an arm around her shoulder, and pulled her head to his chest, stroking his hair and murmuring words of understanding in her ear.

Time tickled away and suddenly Ginny very forcefully pulled away from the hug, making as much distance as she could between them. Harry grabbed hold of his hand before she could skid much farther away.

"What happened, Ginny?" asked Harry, pulling Ginny toward him. She resisted but Harry was just too strong for her.

"What happened, Ginny?" he asked again, forcing her eyes to meet his.

Ginny's lip quivered and a series of groans came form her throat. Harry just continued to hold her heads as he ran circles on the back of her hands.

"A — after all, all that," Ginny stuttered, trying her best to pull away from Harry, "after I — I hit you, you, how can you, you s—still touch me, be near m — me?" She finished as fresh tears started to roll down her eyes. She stopped trying to pull away from Harry and sat there looking defeated.

"I did — didn't mind it," Harry lied, trying his best to sound casual and understanding, "not even in the slightest."

Ginny looked up and said through a tearful smile, "You know Harry, you are a horrible liar."

"I guess I am," Harry answered, looking sheepish.

And before Ginny could say anything, Harry added in a serious tone, "Why did you do that?"

"I —" Ginny started but stopped. She seemed to be fighting with words. She opened and closed her mouth many times, as her eyes continued to dart around the room, fixing on the floor occasionally but never meeting his.

"Ginny," Harry said, as he squeezed her hand a little. Ginny slowly turned her head to his, and their eyes met. Ginny's eye seemed to be shaking in their place giving an impression that she was trying to look away but was unable to.

After what felt like the wait of many years, Ginny opened her mouth again and said in a whisper, "I was angry Harry, angry at you after you said that."

"Said what?" asked Harry, the anger in his voice clear.

"When you said about dying," she whispered, her voice barely audible in the deadly silence that had surrounded them.

"So what?" asked Harry. His blood was boiling; she only slapped him because he said something about dying he didn't even remember. If he didn't remember it must have been a passing comment or something like that.

"_So what!_" Ginny shrieked, stopping Harry heart for a second. She jumped to her feet, looking deranged and angry, no not angry, murderous.

"So what?" she repeated again. Her voice level dropped and Harry blood froze. It was more disturbing than the shriek and it left him sweating, trying his best to find a way out.

"Are you honestly that tactless?" Ginny asked him, advancing toward him. Harry pushed himself back, feeling the material of the bed sheet scrunching up with him.

"Why do you think it was nothing?" she said as her voice got softer, "I lost Fred today and I almost lost you today. And not once but twice, twice Harry, twice. How do you think it affected me?"

"It was nothing," Harry mumbled, feeling the guilt start to cloud his heart.

"Nothing," Ginny hissed, "It was not nothing. You almost died the second time, almost. And you say it was nothing. Maybe if you have lost someone yesterday than you would have known it was not nothing."

Harry jumped to his feet as anger started top pump in his veins and arteries. His breathing was ragged and hard and his body was shaking from head to toe.

He advanced toward Ginny, as his body shook from head to toe. Ginny looked apologetic but it only flared his anger more. She had no right, absolutely no right to look apologetic now.

How easily she had said that he hadn't lost anyone yesterday. Did she forget it that every year he had been losing a loved one and just yesterday he had lost Remus.

"How could you?" Harry hissed, as Ginny backed into a wall, "how could you even say that. I lost no one. Only one loss, one loss and you turn like this, blaming me. Then do it in straight simple words, not these bloody ciphers."

"Harry —"

"Keep quiet," Harry spat, "You say I haven't lost someone yesterday. I lost Remus yesterday, the only one left who was dear to my parents, who was a family to me. Oh, maybe you mean someone more personnel, more loved like Sirius, or my parents or Dumbledore. Then I'm extremely sorry that they dies in the start of the war to insecure our future otherwise if they were alive I would surely have known how it feels, how much it hurts to lose a loved one."

Ginny started again, tears brimming her eyes, "But —"

Harry leaned forward blocking her passage of escape by both of his hands. His nose was on her face now as he breathed hard and deep, his green eyes burning with pure rage.

"But; but what?" Harry asked, his voice bubbling with anger, "Don't you dare say that you let it out by mistake. Nothing in this world is mistake. That was what you were truly feeling about me, that was the truth. And I was so foolish, so foolish that I thought about you before dying, thinking that you love me and I will never get the chance to tell you how much I love you. But now, now I'm very thankful to you. You finally opened my eyes to the truth and I will be forever in your debt."

"Go away," he said as he unblocked her way, "Go away and never show me your face again."

"But Harry," Ginny started, her voice cracking.

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND TWO SIMPLE WORDS," Harry shouted, turning to look at her, "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE. I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU, EVER."

"Harry, please listen to me," Ginny said, her voice leading.

But this weakness of Ginny made him flare up more. His body started shaking again, as his vision swam because of the amount of blood that was flowing in his head. He hastily took two steps, grabbed Ginny arm and dragged her to the door.

"GET OUT," he said, "OR DO YOU HAVE MORE ACCUSATIONS FOR ME? LIKE WHY I DIDN'T DIE MYSELF?"

"No Harry," Ginny pleaded, slumping to her knees.

"WHAT?" Harry asked, "Are those two simple words not understandable or I should call someone who had lost someone. Maybe then you can understand better."

"HARRY!"

"POTTER!"

Many voices came but Harry ignored them. His senses were addled by the anger, the righteous anger he was feeling. How can anyone say that and most of all Ginny? She knew how much hard he had taken Sirius death, Dumbledore death and still. She knew how much close he was with Remus and still she had said that.

"Harry please listen to me," Ginny pleaded again and Harry laughed. He leaned down at her and hissed, "Why? So you could blame me again. Then do it, but don't act like you are a naïve, a martyr."

He straightened himself and turned around to enter his dorm room. As soon as he turned around, he saw Hermione and Ron standing there. Hermione looked confused and a little angry while Ron was absolutely fuming with anger. His eyes were glancing between Ginny and him and with every round his face seemed to turn redder and his fist seemed to clench tighter.

"Explain," Ron demanded, glaring down at him. Harry neither had the time, nor the patience to deal with Ron. He was feeling angry, angry toward Ginny and the last person he wanted to take out that anger was on Ron and Hermione.

But Ron wasn't helping. He was in his protect baby sister role and was in the top gear of that role. Every other of Ginny's brothers was fixed on their places looking confused and undoubtedly a little angry.

"Move aside Ron," Harry said, pushing Ron to the side. Ron grab hold of Harry by the scruff of his neck and pulled him, so that Harry was now facing Ron, both of them glaring daggers at the other.

"Leave me Ron," Harry spat as he tried to pry Ron's hand away from his neck.

"First you will explain to me, why my sister is crying like that on her knees," Ron demanded, pinching Harry neck so tightly that it started to throb, painfully.

"You have no right to ask me anything," Harry growled and with an almighty yank, pried himself away from Ron's grasp. He had barely taken a step when a fist connected to the back of his head. His body was blown forward and his head smashed in the closed door of the dorm.

There were several gasps and the cries of, "HARRY!"

Harry's head was throbbing painfully and he was vaguely aware of the amount of blood that was flowing through his forehead. Consciousness seemed to be leaving him as black surrounded his cornea again. Someone cradled his head in their hand and he saw blur of colour, which resembled the blur made by the fast movements of a wand. He felt like someone was trying to sew back the skin of his forehead, but was doing a very bad job at it. He felt something hot trickle down his hairline and at the same time felt something warm dropping on his cheek.

Harry closed his eyes as the pain became too much for him to control. The blackness, the alluring blackness was surrounding him again promising him every thing he had always wanted.

But then with a jolt he remembered his previous encounter with the blackness and all its false promises. So, he struggled to keep his eyes open but it was to no avail. The darkness around him was just too powerful and before he was completely most in the darkness, he saw Voldemort, whose lipless mouth was curled in a smile, as he said, "Welcome to my realm, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, The-Chosen-One and the Boy-Who-Failed."

* * *

**Author's Note****:** Hello, again. Hope you liked the chapter. I haven't much to say, so only this.

I promise that the next chapter will be long, i.e., 12,000 words at the least and will come in two weeks, even if I have to stop writing my other stories.

Keep Reviewing.

Thanks.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note****:** Long time no see.  
Honestly speaking, there was a point when I wanted to just drop this story and be off with it. But then I remembered my rules, and somehow didn't drop it but didn't write in it too.  
But today I started writing, after two or three day's worth of pondering. Wrote around 5,000 words today :-) and felt quite happy. I have decided to remove the words restriction for this story I have placed. Now the chapters will be around 5,000 words because for me, it's more important to continue the story then fussing over the word limit.

So with that, I want to thank to **miss-potter-weasley**, **AryaAliceLuna** and lija and t for reviewing Chapter 3.

**CHAPTER – 4**

**THE REAL VIEW**

Harry jolted up breathing heavily. His eyes were opened wide and his breathing was extremely ragged. His body was covered in sheen of sweat and a dull throb was playing in the back of his head. He still couldn't believe what he saw; it was supposed to stop. But the reality was something different; he was still haunting his dreams, Voldemort was still posing tension for him even when he was dead. It was not fair.

Harry mopped the sweet from his forehead and looked around the room; he was in one of the Gryffindor's boy's dorm. No one was there except him. So Harry just got out of the bed and looked out of the window. Sun was barely visible now.

Suddenly, he heard the creak of opening of door. He turned around and saw Hermione, looking surprised.

_It seemed as she wasn't excepting me to be awake_, Harry thought bitterly.

"Harry…" said Hermione, after a bit of pause, "you are awake."

"I know I am awake," Harry spat out harsher than he intended to. Hermione visibly flinched and a look of pain and hurt crossed her face. But Harry wasn't affected in the least bit by it; he tried not to be affected by it anyway. Because he didn't want to appear weak in front of her and as a matter of fact, he didn't want to appear weak in front of anyone else, ever.

"Harry," Hermione begin again, her voice a bit tentative, "are you fine now?"

"Yeah,' Harry grumbled out and turned to look out of the window and in the peaceful night sky. He heard the sound of footfalls approaching him and Harry cursed under her breath. He wanted to be left alone, not being pestered about worldly things right now.

"Leave me alone, Hermione," said Harry harshly, without turning back to look at her. The sound of footfalls ceased at once, but only to begin once again. There was a tense silence around both of them and it seems to be increasing by the passing second.

The sound of footfalls came very closer and stopped. Such was the silence that Harry could hear the short intake of breath Hermione was taking. But still he didn't show any sign that even merely indicated that he was aware of Hermione's presence. He could very well feel the hurt it was causing Hermione, but he had no choice. He wanted to be left alone and Hermione was a snag in the way, which he was trying his best to remove.

"Harry," she said again and Harry's body tensed in response, "you can very well try to be in your solitude, but I won't let you."

She paused, clearly indicating that she was waiting for a response from him. But Harry stood there like a statue, trying to diverge his mind to the flock of birds he had just seen flying away.

"Harry," said Hermione again, a little more angrily, "I asked you something."

Harry still remained quite, now counting and classifying the clouds, all the while praying to Merlin to make Hermione go away. But it seemed as Merlin was taking no heed of his prayer.

"Fine," spat Hermione, "Go and burn in your self pity. Do me a favour won't you, while you are busy in wallowing in your pity and self loathing; try to get a little brain in your empty head."

"Who's speaking?" Harry shot back, turning to look at her, "What do you know about my feelings?"

"Yes, I know nothing," Hermione admitted, "because you refuse to speak. And just for the account, you should have known by now that speaking helps and asking for help doesn't make you a lowlife."

"I know all about it," said Harry, a little softly, "it just that… it… it h — hurts so much, Hermione; all the betrayal and back stabbing."

Tears escaped Harry's eye as he said that. Hermione moved quickly and pushed Harry's head on her shoulder, all the while stroking his hairs.

"Hey Harry," she said, "Don't cry. What will people say when they will know that their saviour is a cry baby?"

"I —" Harry hiccupped, "I don't care, H — Hermione, I don't care."

"Now will you tell me what exactly happened between you and Ginny?" asked Hermione. Harry just shook his head and chose to stay quiet.

Harry didn't say anything for some time; he was still contemplating whether to tell her or not.

"Harry," said Hermione again, impatience in her voice clear.

"Huh…" Harry said and with that he told her about everything that had happened between him and Ginny. With every passing word, Hermione's frown seemed to be deepening.

"She didn't say that…" seethed Hermione, her hands curled into fist by her side, when Harry told her about the fight.

"She said that Hermione," cried out Harry, "And what hurt the most was, I thought that she would understand."

"Don't cry Harry," said Hermione, stroking his hair as he pulled him in a hug, "she doesn't deserve your tears."

"But it still hurts Hermione," said Harry, "I feel like I should have just died, just to spare myself from the pain."

"Shh… Harry," said Hermione, patting his head, "Don't ever say that again. It's not you who should have died; it's people like Ginny who should've died, who blame you for everything."

"But isn't what she said right?" said Harry, "After all I'm the one who is the direct cause for all the pain they are going through."

"Say one more word from your mouth," said Hermione, "And I will not hesitate to beat some sense into you Harry James Potter."

Harry smiled bitterly as pulled his head away from Hermione's shoulder. Hermione glared at him, almost like as if she was mocking him to say something.

Harry shook his head at Hermione's antics and turn to look out of the window. The setting sun was still floating in the clouds, giving out light of shades of orange; it was like sun was a small fireball at the verge of drowsing.

"Harry," said Hermione tentatively, "what are you thinking?"

Harry surprised because of the sudden question, jumped around and said, "What!"

"Why so surprised?" asked Hermione.

"I wasn't _this_ surprised," said Harry smiling, "But I guess hiding from Death Eaters for around a year does have its effect on you."

"I guess so," said Hermione, a faint smile on her face, "So what were you thinking?"

Harry sighed at her persistence.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing. I was just comparing the setting sun to a fireball."

"You are that bored," joked Hermione and Harry smiled again, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Silence surrounded them again as Harry turned once again to look out of the window. He looked up in the sky and could see the faint outline of moon through the cloudy sky.

"Harry, are you hungry?" asked Hermione suddenly. Harry turned around and saw that she was lying on a bed.

"Why the sudden question?" asked Harry, leaning against the wall.

"Sudden?" asked Hermione in a surprised tone, "Your stomach growled just now."

"Growled?"

"Were you this lost in thinking absolutely nothing?" said Hermione smiling.

"Maybe," said Harry and he heard his stomach growling this time.

"I guess I am hungry."

"Guessed so," said Hermione standing up, "Let's go to The Great Hall." — She looked at her wrist watch — "It's almost time for dinner in any case. And I don't think anyone will mind serving dinner a little early if you want it."

"Bugger off," said Harry in mild annoyance. Hermione smiled broadly as she tied her shoe laces back. She marched to the door and turned around slightly, her hands still lingering on the handle, "You are not coming?"

"I will rather not go out and face them," said Harry and Hermione seemed to understand that he meant Weasley's when he said _them_.

"Why?" asked Hermione and without waiting for an answer, continued, "You haven't done anything; if anything they should flee off somewhere when they see you, especially Ron."

"Don't judge Ron on what he did," said Harry, "He only did to protect Ginny."

"Helping in someone's crime," said Hermione, a frown on her face, "is as good as committing the crime yourself. And he shouldn't have hit you."

"It was just a punch," said Harry airily, even though he could still feel the back of his head throbbing from time to time.

"Just a punch?" almost shrieked Hermione, "It was anything but just a punch. Do you know how much you bled?"

"No idea," Harry said evasively while looking around and desperately trying to find an escape route.

"Of course you don't," said Hermione, "You went unconscious after some moments. But just for a faint idea, your head is still bandaged."

"It is not!" exclaimed Harry as he touched the back of his head. And as Hermione said, he could feel scratchy and rough bandages wrapped around his head.

He sighed as he reprimanded himself from being such absent minded because he had scratched his head earlier and still didn't notice the bandages wrapped around his head.

"Let's go Harry," said Hermione again and this time Harry could feel the resolution in her voice.

"But…" began Harry knowing that his attempts would be fruitless.

"No 'buts' Harry," said Hermione, "If I have to force you to go with me, have no doubts, I won't hesitate."

Harry swallowed and lowered his eyes, unable to look into her eyes. He could feel Hermione eyes boring holes in his body and when unable to take more of the silent torturing, he said,

"Fine, I'll go. I just need to use the bathroom."

"I'm not stopping you," said Hermione and then her eyes flashed with something, "But if you try to escape from the window, I'll make you rue this day, and every single day of your coming life."

"You know Hermione," said Harry nonchalantly, "You can make for a good replacement for Voldemort."

"Ha ha," laughed Hermione and it made her look more dangerous, "very funny."

"And anyway," said Harry changing the topic, "I need a broom to fly out of the window, although I have to say, your idea is a really good one."

Hermione huffed angrily and looked away. Harry smiled as he entered the bathroom.

He head for the basin and rolled the tap open. He glanced in the mirror as the cold water ran down his joined palms.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing; he couldn't believe that it was really him looking out of the mirror; he looked so miserable. Several cuts adorned his face and he could see chips of dried blood still sticking to his face. When he rubbed them he found that they were just the after colour left by dried blood.

But what caused such big of a change was the slightly dirty bandage wrapped around his head, covering his hair.

He scratched at it again absentmindedly, wetting it in the process. Almost as if he just woke up from a dream, Harry noticed the running tap. He stared it blankly for a moment, his mind too lost in what he saw in the mirror some moments before.

Slowly and absentmindedly, he stretched his adjoined palms in the way of the water and splashed the cold water across his face. He involuntarily jerked back from the cold feeling but it only lasted for a moment.

He continued splashing water across his face so many times, that he lost count of it and of the sense of time.

"Harry."

Suddenly the door burst open and in came Hermione.

"What are you do…"

Her voice faltered as her eyes fell on Harry's face. Tears were running down his face, camouflaging with the dripping water. His eyes were blank, looking as if they were dead.

Hermione dashed to him and held his face to her shoulder, murmuring soft words in his ears. Harry continued to cry silently; it was as if he was an actor from the era of silent movies.

"What happened, Harry?" asked Hermione breaking the silence which some moments before was only broken by the sound of rushing water.

Harry remained silent but Hermione knew that Harry had heard what she had said because he stirred a little.

"You can tell me Harry," said Hermione, "I'm here for you; you can tell me everything you want."

For the first time since Harry had entered the bathroom, he let out a sound. He sobbed in Hermione's embrace as once again the guilt he was feeling started clenching his heart in a vice grip.

Hermione just stayed silent, instead choosing to pat his head lovingly.

"Hermione," Harry hiccupped, faintly trying to pull his head away from her shoulder.

"Yes," said Hermione without missing a beat, her hands still holding Harry's head with a gentle pressure.

"I saw him," said Harry in a whisper, "I saw him in the mirror when I looked in it."

"Who Harry?" asked Hermione, her voice full with concern, "Who Harry? Tell me."

She waited, waited for Harry to answer, but Harry didn't reply.

"Who did you see in the mirror Harry?" asked Hermione again and suddenly the gears in her head clicked into action; only one thing, only one person could scare Harry so much.

"Did you saw You-K… I mean, did you see Voldemort in the mirror?"

Harry body stilled for a moment, before he shook his head in denial. Hermione let out a sigh of relief.

"Then who Harry?" asked Hermione again, pulling Harry's away from her shoulder till both their eyes looked into each others.

Harry swallowed thickly as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"I saw…" said Harry, "I saw — my — him…"

"You are not making any sense Harry," said Hermione softly.

"Dad," said Harry.

"Huh," said Hermione in surprise.

"I saw D — Dad," whispered Harry finally, looking tortured to the core of his soul.

"I can't understand Harry," said Hermione, her face a mask of concern.

Harry smiled sadly; of course she can't. She could be as caring and understanding as she wants, but still she would never understand this.

When he had stared in the mirror, at the first glance he had seen himself, looking defeated and miserable but when his gaze had wandered to his eyes, he had become thoughtless.

Because at that very moment, he had remembered the vision he had seen on the Christmas Eve; when he had a close encounter with Nagini, Voldemort's snake.

As he stared in the lifeless blank eyes of his, he remembered seeing his Dad as he defended his family from Voldemort, even though he was wandless and weak. He remembered seeing the fear in his eyes; he remembered his broken down body when Voldemort had killed him.

They looked so same… so same… that for a moment Harry saw his Dad standing in the mirror, looking at him with the same miserable and sad expression with which he was gazing in the mirror.

And it pained his heart so very much; he just couldn't bear seeing his Dad looking like this, broken down to such level.

And as he let himself go lost in the past incident, tears escaped his eyes, tears of anguish, of self-loathing, of self-hatred…

His body shook with the sobs as his vision blurred. The whole world spun in front of his eyes and he could feel gravity pulling at him with great force. His mind was suddenly filled with the articles he had read in _Daily Prophet_ during his run for survival.

_Cheater.  
Fake.  
Killer.  
Murderer.  
Criminal.  
Lunatic._

He let out a cry of anguish as the words swirled in his mind, forming into sentences. Every word felt like stab of knife through his heart.

Through his blurred vision, he saw the world turning black, twisting and spiraling with blackness till the last wisp of colour left the world and all that left was blackness, calm darkness where there was nothing to fear about.

"Or so you think," came a cold voice, "Harry Potter?"

Harry let out an inhumanly scream of terror as he saw Voldemort coming near him, his face slightly red with glee.

"Did you think that you could defeat me?" asked Voldemort, pointing his wand at his right hand side, "DID you?"

Harry remained quiet and turned to look at the point where Voldemort had pointed his wand.

"No," gasped Harry as he tried to stand up from his crouching position because where Voldemort had pointed his wand, stood his Dad, chained to a wall.

"What happened to you Mr. The Chosen One?" asked Voldemort in a taunting tone, "Can't even stand up without someone to aid you?"

Harry snarled like a furious cat as he shouted, "Let me go."

Voldemort raised his hand above his head and sneered in a taunting voice, "I'm not holding you; feel free to do whatever you want."

Harry screamed again as he tried his best to break off the invisible bonds that were holding him, keeping him tethered to the dark floor.

Tired because of all the thrashing, Harry turned to look at his Dad. Harry's eyes met his and Harry let out a scream of anguish as he gazed in the same lifeless eyes of his Dad as he had seen in the mirror. His eyes burned with the sting of unshed tears.

He turned to Voldemort and said, his voice thick with tears,

"Kill me, please kill me," said Harry, bowing down in front of Voldemort, his hands adjoined in a begging posture, "But please leave Dad."

"I won't grant you death so easily Harry Potter," said Voldemort and kicked Harry in the face. Pain erupted through his skin as stars popped in front of his eyes.

"I will slowly grill your soul," hissed Voldemort, his face livid with anger, "I will break the last shred of strength in your body before I kill you. I will have you begging me to kill you, but not like this, not like this… but even more desperately."

Voldemort snarled and spat at Harry. His wand turned to point at his Dad, as his eyes stared into Harry's.

"Avada —"

Harry eyes went wide as saucer as he whipped his head to look at his Dad. He show the same look of fear playing across his Dad eyes as he had seen when he had experienced Voldemort's vision of that cursed night.

"— Kedavra."

A rushing sound followed, as Harry shouted,

"DAD!"

And soon the world flashed green.

Harry sat up with a jolt, his breathing hard and his skin clammy with sweat. His eyes were so stretched out that he felt like they would pop out of their socket any second.

Harry swallowed thickly as he took in the surrounding. He was now no more in the dark chamber; he was in the Gryffindor's boy dorm. He ran his tongue over his lips and felt their dryness. His mouth felt like someone has stuffed a big wad of cotton in his mouth and down his throat.

His body felt like he had just run a full marathon or participated in a series of duels, one after another. He tugged at his shirt and wasn't amazed to see that it clung to his skin.

After a bit of shock, Harry started to calm down and noticed that his right hand was pressed firmly against his chest, just above her heart.

Sighing in a little relief, Harry leaned back in the bed and felt the slightly wet sheet. He rolled around and saw a very faint blotch of wetness spreading in the area where his back was pressed.

He sighed again and looked around the room; Hermione was not there.

Relief flooded his body. Looking around once again, Harry pulled off his shirt and threw it in a corner.

He sighed as cold air hit his skin and left a pleasant sensation on his hot body. The slight itching the profuse perspiring has caused him was starting to ebb away.

Now when his mind was a little calmer, he could think rationally.

But before he had the chance to ponder over his nightmare, the door suddenly opened and in came Hermione, carrying a tray with her.

"Oh Harry," said Hermione in surprise and looking really happy. She ran to Harry and almost dropped off the tray she was carrying.

"Woah Hermione," said Harry, supporting the tray with his hands, "Calm down."

"You are feeling all right, aren't you?" asked Hermione, completely ignoring Harry's words.

"Yes," said Harry and before he had the chance to say something else, Hermione tightly hugged him.

Harry didn't mind the embrace, if anything he was happy to be around someone else because it confirmed that Voldemort wasn't here, that what he saw was just a nightmare, a nightmare which would end as soon as he break free of the clutches of sleep.

"Harry," said Hermione suddenly, pulling away from Harry, "Stop spacing out so much."

"I can't help it," said Harry defensively.

Hermione huffed and pointed his finger at Harry's bare chest.

"And for Merlin sake, put on a shirt."

Harry looked down and realised that he wasn't wearing a shirt. His hands reflexively covered his exposed chest and Hermione laughed at this.

"My shirt was a little wet," said Harry in his defense, his cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

"I don't remember leaving you in a bath tub," said Hermione jokingly as she levitated Harry's thrown shirt. With s flick, she started to dry it.

But Harry grew silent because he didn't want to tell Hermione about his nightmare. It was as if he told her about them, his misfortune would rain down on her too.

He was so lost in his thinking, that he didn't see the dried out shirt levitating in front of him, swinging from side to side like a pendulum till that same shirt started whacking the bare flesh of his chest.

"Argh!" cried out Harry as his hand automatically grabbed the side of the shirt, "stop doing that. You almost gave me a heart attack there." Harry finished as he pulled the shirt down.

"Honestly Harry," said Hermione, "Stop spacing out so much. You make me feel like I'm forcing you to study history in Professor Binns class."

Harry smiled.

"And anyway," said Hermione, "Why did you suddenly looked tense when I asked you about how you wet your shirt?"

Harry swallowed again as his mind whizzed in its place, trying to come up with a worthy excuse to fool Hermione.

"No I didn't," said Harry, shrinking back from Hermione's hard gaze.

"You know Harry," said Hermione, sitting beside Harry, "You make me want to learn Legimency."

"Why?" crocked out Harry, trying his best to prolong the inevitable.

"Something happened," said Hermione point-blankly, "and it's as obvious as stars in a twilight sky."

Harry sighed; why can't he hide things anymore. But then again, he never hid many things from Hermione or even Ron for that case. And being in the condition he was, it made him all the more vulnerable, all the more wanting to share things with the others, especially his friend who had stuck to his side through hell and heaven.

"Hermione," said Harry in a weary tone, "nothing much, just a nightmare."

"Nightmare?" repeated Hermione as if to confirm what he had said was what he wanted to say exactly.

"Yes," said Harry.

He had chosen to say this because he was quite sure that Hermione won't pry further. She knew that he had been having nightmares for quite a while now about his past experiences. And Harry saw no need to enlighten her more by sharing his _new_ nightmares with her because he was sure they would end up with time.

"Want to talk about it?" asked Hermione hesitantly.

"No Hermione," said Harry and when Hermione began to raise resistance, Harry continued in a firm tone, "It's bad enough that I have them and personally I don't wish to re-live them if I can help it."

This shut up Hermione for good as she just stared in Harry's face, her mouth agape. But soon, Hermione regained her composure, as she said,

"I understand Harry; I was just worried about you"

Even though she said this, Harry could see resolution glinting in her eyes. He sighed and looked around, trying to find a route of escape. His eyes fell on the tray.

"Hey Hermione," said Harry, still looking at the tray with hungry eyes, "Let's eat."

Hermione laughed.

"Please suck that drool right back in."

Harry stuck out his tongue at her, feeling quite childish.

Hermione shook her head and uncovered the dishes.

"Have you eaten Hermione?" asked Harry, sliding back to make some more room for the dishes.

Hermione shook her head, laying out the empty wares in front of him.

"You can be a good waiter Hermione," joked Harry trying to lighten the mood, "Did you learn this from a book?"

Hermione hit him with a spoon in response and Harry let out a small yelp.

"Sorry," he mumbled, not looking apologetic at all.

Hermione smiled and commented,

"It might be a bit less for the both of us. I was not counting on you being awake or hungry."

"Uh huh," said Harry in a joking way, "I don't mind sharing if I'm the one who gets the big share."

Hermione laughed and said, "Wait a minute here; I'll just bring some more from the kitchen."

"No need of stressing yourself," said Harry, forcing Hermione to sit down, "We can always ask for help."

"No, you won't do that Harry," began Hermione but Harry had already shouted,

"Kreacher!"

With a sharp _CRACK_, Kreacher materlised out of thin air. Bowing in front of Harry, he asked,

"What does Master Harry needs?"

Harry turned to look at Hermione, who had turned her head away in annoyance, but still her eyes squintrd from time to time in his direction.

Harry smiled and said,

"Nothing much; just some food."

Kreacher bowed again and with the same sharp _CRACK_, he was gone.

Not even a minute later, a group of four house elves materlised in the room with an eardrum piercing _CRACK_. All of them were carrying a tray in their hand, with Kreacher leading the way.

"Master Harry," said Kreacher, "Where Kreacher should put these?"

Harry pointed at the next bed; the one he was sitting on was already all but full.

"You brought us quite some food Kreacher," commented Harry as he looked at the trays of food sitting on the bed, "I doubt we can eat all of this."

Kreacher, for some reason smiled and said,

"I hope Master likes the food."

Bowing again in unison, all the house elves Disapparated away with a _CRACK_.

Harry turned around to look at Hermione and saw her looking at the point where just some moments ago the four house elves stood. Harry notices that her cheeks were red with unmistakable anger.

"Hermione," began Harry tentatively, "let's eat."

Hermione didn't reply; she just looked away with a huff.

Harry sighed and said,

"Don't be a baby Hermione. Everyone is doing their best, so what's wrong if house elves help us? We sure can use their help."

"Using their help," seethed Hermione turning to look at Harry. Her face was red with anger and Harry skidded back until his back pressed against the wall, scrunching up considerate amount of bed sheet with him, "and using them as a servant are two completely different things."

"Now, now Hermione," said Harry, trying to calm Hermione, "they are not being used as servants here."

"So you say," said Hermione with an angry huff.

Harry released a huff of air and said,

"How would you feel if they were to take the task of rebuilding the castle or moving the corpses?"

"That would be just terrible," said Hermione looking as if Harry had said some kind of blasphemy.

"Exactly," said Harry, grinning like he had just won some kind of contest, "So isn't it good that they are doing what they do best? Taking care of people and preparing food."

"That's just blasphemy," said Hermione looking annoyed at Harry's counterattack, "I never had any objections with them cooking the food. But using them as this…"

"They love it Hermione," said Harry pointedly.

"That's because they are forced to…" began Hermione but Harry quickly interjected,

"Let's pause it here for later. I'm very hungry and I will just loose consciousness again if I continued listening."

"What!" said Hermione, her eyes glinting with pure malice.

Harry swallowed and quickly added, "I mean I need nutrition to give attention. So let's eat."

Giving no chance to Hermione to object, Harry shot up from the bed and brought the trays full of food.

"Let's eat before it gets cold," said Harry.

Hermione looked reluctant but when Harry uncovered the dishes, Hermione gave up and started piling her plate.

Harry pushed the last empty plate away in a corner. He burped as he lay beside Hermione.

"It sure is peaceful," said Hermione, staring at the ceiling.

"I kind of like it," said Harry.

"Who don't?" said Hermione, "After all the troubles we have had, I am sure I can live my life in peacefulness."

"That might be a bit of exaggeration," said Harry.

Hermione didn't reply and when Harry turned to look at her, he saw that her eyes were drooping low. Harry didn't felt sleepy at all; who would after all the sleep he had today.

But that was just one reason; he didn't want to see the nightmare again, so even if he was feeling sleepy, he wouldn't have slept, not if he could have helped it.

Making sure that he didn't disturb Hermione, Harry stood up from the bed. He banished the empty dishes with a flick of his wand. He pulled a blanket from a nearby bed and draped it around Hermione's shoulder.

He stared at her serene face.

He stared at her face for some more time, as her chest fell and sunk down in rhythmic motion. He didn't know why he did that, but he felt peaceful when Hermione continued to look serene.

Then it hit him; he was making sure that Hermione wasn't hit by nightmares like he was. But deep in his mind he knew that there was no way she wouldn't have nightmares. After what they had seen, after what they have gone through, it was as true as sun rising from east. But he just hoped that she didn't go through the nightmares he had been seeing.

Sighing, Harry turned around and tiptoed out of the room. Hogwarts was unusually silent or maybe not; maybe now he just was more accustomed to sharp noises.

Silently Harry walked down and out of Hogwarts. Walking down the stairs leading to the grounds, Harry stared up in the sky. He could make out many constellations he had learnt during Astronomy class.

He sobbed as he remembered Dumbledore falling down from the same tower.

_BANG._

Harry banged into someone and if it wasn't for that someone, he would have gone flying back. He shook his head to clear out the white dots from his vision as he tried to look at the face of his saviour.

"'Arry!" came the unmistakable voice of Hagrid. A smile unconsciously spread across Harry's lip. His vision finally cleared and his smile grew broader. He rushed forward and hugged Hagrid, although it was more like he hugged Hagrid's waist.

Hagrid patted Harry's back and Harry chocked on his breath because of the impact. Hagrid didn't seem to notice Harry's trouble as he patted Harry again, this time a little less firmly and Harry was very thankful for it.

"Say what 'Arry," said Hagrid, "'Hat brings yeh 'ere 'Arry?"

"I was bored in there," said Harry.

"Where are t'em, Ron and 'Ermione?" asked Hagrid, his big warm eyes looking lovingly at Harry. Harry smiled bitterly; it seemed as Hagrid hadn't heard about their little problem and Harry was in no hurry to tell him.

"They are sleeping Hagrid," said Harry, looking away. He didn't have the strength to look in his eyes and lie. He just hoped that he wouldn't notice it.

"'Nd w'at is this bandage doinf on yeh 'ead?" asked Hagrid.

"I fell from the stairs," Harry lied again, feeling guilty and hoping that Hagrid didn't notice his lie.

And Hagrid didn't seem to notice it as he waved a lid-sized hand and said, "'Ant to come with me eh?"

"Okay," said Harry having nothing to do.

He followed Hagrid into his hut. As soon as the door opened, his eyes were pierced with bright lights.

Rubbing his eyes, Harry stepped inside and he was greeted with the calls of his name.

Harry looked around and saw many familiar faces, including Kingsley, Mad-Eye Moody, Dedalus Diggle and many more.

"What are you all doing here?" asked Harry without even realising it.

"Just sharing a drink for old time sake," said Mad-Eye in his usual gruff tone, "And paying our prayers to the fallen."

Harry wanted to point out that it was not much of a prayer, but choose to keep quiet.

"Here Potter," said Mad-Eye and gave him a glass filled with amber liquid.

"Sit with us and share some of your pain," he continued and most of them shouted in consent. Harry didn't exactly feel tempted to do so, but nonetheless he sat in a corner and with a gulp, swallowed the drink.

As soon as the drink hit his throat, he realised it was Firewhiskey because it burned down his throat. But then he didn't have any previous experience with alcohol on which he could rely on, so it could be anything and he wouldn't be any Knut wiser.

He heard faint hooting in the background as the alcohol started to kick in action. His vision blurred a bit and he felt warmth spreading through his body.

His hands shook as he held out his hand for another glass. He could feel everyone gazing at him, but he didn't care anymore. Suddenly the glass in his hand became heavy and it almost fell off, but somehow it remained in his hand.

In a big gulp, Harry emptied his glass. He looked around as his vision swam. But strangely he felt quite light headed as he looked around.

Soon all of them started talking as they heard each other story and felt the pain of others.

Even Harry shared some of his pain, all thanks to the multiple shots of Firewhiskey.

He vaguely remembered Mad-Eye praising him for all the work he had done and thanking him for saving him before he let himself get lost in sleep, his mind epitome of peacefulness.

Before his eyes closed and before the darkness swallowed him, he whispered, "Thanks."

**Author's Note****:** Hello, again. It feels quite good to write a story then proof read it on the same day and upload it.

Please **Read and Review**.


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